Viewpoint: Could recent crime spike be a direct result of COVID-19?

I was walking my dog early one morning recently when I saw a man squatting down to look through the louver shutters of a home across the street.  When he saw me watching, he scampered away. Did I foil a burglary? Possibly. 

COVID-19 has created great unrest in New Orleans and it shows as a wide variety of crimes continue to increase. As should be expected, citizens in almost every neighborhood are frustrated and afraid for their safety. Like COVID-19 itself, we can only assume crime will get worse before it gets better. 

Sure, we can attribute many homicides to gang rivalries — but not all the car break-ins and other property crimes, muggings, domestic violence, and even yesterday’s theft of an Amazon truck.

Shooting injures two teens in Freret area

Two teenagers were injured by gunfire Tuesday night in the Freret neighborhood, the New Orleans Police Department reported. The two 18-year-old males were at LaSalle and Valmont streets at about 9:25 p.m. when they were struck by gunfire. The shooting occurred near Evans Playground. One victim was struck in the arm and leg; he taken to the hospital by the Emergency Medical Service. The other victim arrived at the emergency room in a private car.

Lilly’s Café planning second location in the Garden District

The owner of Lilly’s Café, a popular Vietnamese restaurant in the Lower Garden District, is planning to open a second Lilly’s farther up Magazine Street. Lilly Vuong, who runs the 8-year-old restaurant with family members, told Garden District neighbors in a Neighborhood Participation Project letter that she recently purchased the cottage at 3329 Magazine St. to open a second Vietnamese restaurant. Before that can happen, she needs approval from the City Planning Commission and the City Council; a restaurant is only allowed as a conditional use in the district. A hearing is on the Planning Commission’s Jan.

NOPD arrests one, seeks two more suspects in recent string of armed robberies

The New Orleans Police Department has arrested one suspect and is searching for two additional suspects wanted in connection with a string of armed robberies and carjackings that occurred in the Irish Channel, East Riverside, Touro and Milan neighborhoods over the past month. The suspects are accused of involvement in six armed robberies and carjackings in the NOPD’s Sixth District from Nov. 25 to Dec. 11, police said. The first robbery occurred on Nov.