A man has been taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service in connection with an incident that left a 9-year-old girl critically injured in Algiers. As per reports from WDSU, the arrest occurred at a Gretna motel yesterday, drawing a swift response from law enforcement following the shooting on Monday afternoon.
The girl identified as Leelani Brooks was playing outside her home near Elizardi Blvd. and Lawrence Street when she was hit by gunfire that tore through a window. According to a statement obtained by WWLTV, "She had run upstairs to seek safety with her family, and she was in the process of actually picking up her little sibling, she was holding that little sibling to protect that little sibling when she was shot in the head," said NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick.
The suspect, identified as 19-year-old Evans Rogers, was apprehended without incident at the motel located on the 50 block of Terry Parkway. Two individuals were observed turning themselves in to US Marshals.
Rogers' arrest was a coordinated effort involving the NOPD, U.S. Marshals, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. Superintendent Kirkpatrick underscored the critical state of the victim to reporters, saying her condition was "grave," as reported by FOX8Live. Brooks remains on life support.
