A family dispute in New Orleans' Gentilly Ridge neighborhood escalated into a three-person shootout on June 25, and now 50-year-old Ralph C. Doughty is sitting in jail on a $220,000 bond. The gunfire erupted on the 3400 block of Franklin Avenue and left one man shot in the chest while two others were struck or grazed, police say. Doughty told officers he opened fire in self-defense, but investigators say surveillance footage and court documents raise doubts about that claim. He remains in custody at the Orleans Justice Center as detectives keep working the case.
Charges and booking
According to NOLA.com, Doughty was booked on two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, two counts of aggravated second-degree battery, one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, one count of illegal use of weapons and one count of aggravated criminal damage to property. A magistrate set his bond at $220,000, and Doughty was taken to the Orleans Justice Center to await further court action. The outlet reports that the booking details and list of charges come from court paperwork and the arresting agency.
Police: shootout followed family dispute
New Orleans police say the shooting started as a domestic argument inside a home on Franklin Avenue, then spilled outside into what they describe as a shootout, with at least one relative returning fire from a white Infiniti. Two victims made their own way to nearby hospitals for treatment, and officers later located a third wounded person back at the scene.
Chief Anne Kirkpatrick told reporters that one victim was initially listed in critical condition, and that detectives have been canvassing the area for surveillance video and witnesses. WWL first reported those on-the-ground details.
Victims, affidavit and surveillance
Per NOLA.com, the man identified in records as the stepdaughter’s boyfriend was shot in the chest, the boyfriend’s mother was grazed in the chest, and Doughty himself was hit in the shoulder and ankle. An affidavit in the case, signed by Magistrate Commissioner Jay Daniels, quotes Doughty telling authorities that he fired in self-defense. The paper reports that real-time crime-center surveillance footage appears to contradict that version of events. Those pieces of evidence will be key as prosecutors decide whether to file formal charges or seek indictments.
A troubled corridor
Neighbors along Franklin Avenue and the wider Gentilly corridor have been here before. The strip has seen repeated shootings in recent years, and residents and advocacy groups have been pressing for more patrols and violence-prevention resources. Local coverage of the June 25 gunfire has framed it against that pattern, highlighting the strain on nearby homes and businesses. Hoodline has tracked prior incidents and community calls for action.
Legal next steps
Because the allegations are felonies, the case will move through the Orleans Parish criminal system, and prosecutors will review the arrest affidavit and other evidence to decide whether to seek formal indictments. If they file charges, Doughty would next appear for arraignment and then a series of pretrial hearings as the case heads toward either a trial or a potential plea agreement.
Anyone with video or information about the shooting is asked to contact NOPD Third District detectives at (504) 658-6030 or to submit an anonymous tip to Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans via nola.gov/crimestoppers or by calling (504) 822-1111. Tips may be eligible for a reward and can be submitted anonymously.
