An Assistant District Attorney with the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office, Ian Kersting, has tragically died by apparent suicide, local law enforcement confirmed. The incident was reported to have occurred at the District Attorney's Office building located at 619 South White St. Kersting, aged 34, was found on Saturday night around 9 p.m., according to the New Orleans Police Department’s Major Offense Log obtained by FOX News.
The New Orleans Police Department initial report, as stated, said Kersting suffered what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. New Orleans EMS promptly arrived at the scene but were unable to save him as he was pronounced dead shortly after their arrival. This grievous news has been reported by multiple sources, including WWL Louisiana and FOX8 Live.
In light of the tragedy, WWL Louisiana relayed a statement from the District Attorney's Office, "We extend our deepest gratitude to the judges of the Criminal District Court and Juvenile Court en bancs, as well as the Orleans Public Defenders, for their extraordinary compassion and humanity during this challenging time, as there are members of our staff who will require time to cope and heal."
Kersting, who was admitted to the Louisiana bar on October 30, 2020, dedicated himself to specializing in sexual assault cases within the District Attorney's Office, as part of the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI). His role was to work closely with New Orleans Police Department sex crimes detectives to investigate and prosecute sex crimes by utilizing recovered DNA evidence. As revealed by FOX8 Live, the SAKI unit's mission is a critical aspect of the legal system, focusing on the prosecution of sexual assault cases with a commitment to justly utilizing forensic advances.
The District Attorney's office, struck by this loss, will remain closed the following Monday to allow for the entire team to receive counsel from grief and trauma specialists. They intend to resume operations on Tuesday. In a heartfelt statement provided by the District Attorney's Office and reported by FOX News, "Assistant District Attorney Ian Kersting was a beloved member of our office, and we send our love and deepest condolences to his family."
