The New Orleans Police Department has made public a critical incident video offering details on an officer-involved shooting that took place earlier this month. Footage of the incident, which occurred on December 4, at the intersection of Basin and Saint Louis streets, has now been shared with the community for review, shedding light on the intense moments leading up to the shooting, as reported by the New Orleans Police Department.
According to the New Orleans Police Department, the video reveals how around 6:30 p.m. that evening, an Eighth District lieutenant and two Sixth District detectives had rightly decided to quickly conduct a traffic stop upon a vehicle confirmed as stolen. The police lieutenant used his marked vehicle to block the suspect's car at a red light, positioning it strategically on Basin Street. When they proceeded to approach the vehicle, giving the driver clear commands to get out, the situation escalated rapidly as the driver began to maneuver the stolen car in an apparent bid to flee.
In less dramatic terms, the dash camera and nearby video surveillance captured the stolen car hitting an unmarked police unit and another vehicle unrelated to the pursuit as it executed a right turn from the left travel lane, squeezing between the law enforcement officers' vehicles. The New Orleans Police Department recounted that the lieutenant discharged his firearm twice during this maneuver as he perceived a threat. Subsequently, the suspect succeeded in making a getaway, later found to have abandoned the vehicle in the 1900 block of Bayou Road.
As of the latest update, there have not been any reported injuries nor arrests connected to this scene. The New Orleans Police Department Public Integrity Bureau's Force Investigation Team has continued to look into the specifics of the gunshot discharge. Lt. Dan Anderson, the 27-year veteran responsible for the shots and put on administrative reassignment post-incident, has since returned to full duty. The New Orleans Police Department encourages anyone with further information about the incident to urgently contact their detectives at 504-658-6800.
