A Cincinnati Police Department officer is grieving after his 26-year-old son was fatally shot in New Orleans early Saturday morning, according to family members. Nicholas Dent was found in the driver’s seat of his car shortly after finishing a work shift at a sports bar, and local investigators told the family the shooting appears to have followed an encounter that suddenly turned violent.
Family Says He Was Killed After Offering A Ride
The officer, Shawn Dent, told WLWT that his son was shot just after 5 a.m. after he had reportedly given someone a ride home. The family says preliminary reports suggest the incident may have been a robbery that turned deadly, and authorities have not released a suspect description.
Union Posts Fundraiser
The Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police has launched a fundraiser and is rallying behind the Dent family, as reported by WCPO. FOP President Ken Kober’s post points to a GiveSendGo page created to help with funeral and memorial expenses and notes that the shooting happened on what should have been Nicholas’s 26th birthday. The fundraiser set a $15,000 goal and had raised several thousand dollars by Saturday evening, according to the report.
Cincinnati Ties And Background
Family members told WLWT that Nicholas graduated with honors from Winton Woods High School and worked in hospitality. His father, Shawn, serves as a neighborhood liaison with the Cincinnati Police Department and previously worked for the New Orleans Police Department, the family said. The family has requested privacy as New Orleans investigators continue their work.
Investigation And What Comes Next
New Orleans authorities have not named suspects or released additional details, and the case remains under investigation, WCPO reports. Because of the father’s ties to Cincinnati law enforcement, the killing has drawn attention in both cities while investigators interview witnesses. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the New Orleans Police Department, the reports say.
