Violent Carjackings across New Orleans

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) -“It’s very frightening,” says Kristi Maupin.

Just after 10 A.M. Monday morning, a carjacking unfolded in the parking lot of the Super Saver gas station at Louisiana and St. Charles Avenue.

The carjacking quickly turned violent when police say the two suspects started arguing with the victim. One of the suspects pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim, as the other suspect took off in the man’s car.

The carjacked, though, wrecked. The victim ran back to his car and tussled with the suspects until they simply walked away.

In he 4300 of South Prieur, a victim was carjacked at gunpoint as he pulled up to his house. Neighbor Kristi Maupin says the violence is out of control.

“It’s terrifying. This is a very quiet street. I’ve always been aware of my surroundings because you’re in a big city and something bad could always happen, but now, this even amplifies that to a whole new level,” says Maupin.

When two gunmen told a victim to get of his car in the 4700 block of Thalia, the victim instead drove off, and police say the suspects fired shots at him.

In all, 5 carjackings or attempted carjackings occurred in a 24 hour period across New Orleans.

“This is not going to go away. It was present in 2020 and 2021, and it’s gotten worse in 2022,” says Goyeneche.

Rafael Goyeneche of the Metropolitan Crime Commission point out, the carjackers are getting extremely violent, stabbing victims and shooting at them.

A carjacking ended in gunfire Monday on North Rampart, and then last Friday, two women attempted to carjack a woman on Freret St. near Jena. The victim pulled away, and the two women opened fire. The victim was grazed by a bullet and her car windows were shattered.

“This is a cycle that the only way we are going to change the dynamics and reverse the numbers is to arrest the perpetrators that are committing these crimes and holding them accountable,” says Goyeneche.

He says the NOPD, though, is overwhelmed with calls for service, and police manpower is historically low.

Still, he believes now is the time for all parts of the criminal justice system to work together.

“The offenders realize the deficiencies of the system, and they’re taking advantage of it,” says Goyeneche.

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