The New Orleans Police Department has released preliminary crime statistics for the week of May 18-24, showing a mix of notable arrests and a decline in gun seizures and arrests compared to last year. Among the arrests, last Thursday, NOPD apprehended Casey Smith, a black female born on November 19, 1994, who is accused of aiding two escapees from the Orleans Justice Center on May 16. The NOPD's report was made public on its official news site, highlighting these incidents as part of their weekly update.
Another significant arrest occurred last Friday when Jernell Brown, a black male born on August 8, 2006, was apprehended for his alleged involvement in a murder at 2nd and Clara streets earlier in the month. The NOPD continued to successfully track down individuals connected to the Orleans Justice Center breakout, arresting Emmitt Weber and Connie Weeden last Friday. Both individuals were charged with one count of accessory after the fact to simple escape. According to the police department's NOPD News release, the arrests were made during a coordinated effort by the NOPD’s Special Operations Tactical II Investigations Team.
Gun-related arrests, however, have taken a notable downturn. The NOPD reported making 125 arrests for illegal possession of a firearm up to the current date in 2025 – a sharp 52-percent decrease from the 261 arrests recorded over the same period in 2024. This reduction extends to gun seizures as well. As of May 19, NOPD has seized 735 firearms in the course of their criminal investigations. This figure represents a 28-percent decrease when compared to the 1,033 firearms seized by the same time in 2024. With such numbers, the community is witnessing fewer illegal weapons being taken off the streets—an unsettling trend that could potentially bear consequences on city safety.
