Cops probe 6 fatal shootings in 1 day

Sunday, July 30, 2006

New Orleans Police are investigating six fatal shootings that took place within 24 hours, in the most recent round of killings, as the city tries to curb violence that has slowed the recovery from Hurricane Katrina last August.

NOLA police reported that 3 brothers and a friend were all fatally shot while sitting on the porch of an abandoned house near the French Quarter. Two gunmen walked by the victims, and then turned around and started shooting.

The fifth shooting happened early Saturday in the Gentilly neighborhood, an area that was severely flooded and has been slowly rebuilding. Police said they found a man dead in the street after receiving reports that shots were fired.

A short while later while responding to another call, police came across a man laying in the street suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, who was pronouced dead at the scene.

Last month, Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco called in the National Guard to help control widespread violence after 5 teens were shot to death in a single attack.

So far this year there have been 78 homicides in New Orleans, still far fewer than normal in a city accustomed to violence, but enough to cause residents to fear a return to the days when New Orleans was the murder capital of the nation.