A black car sits in the bushes outside the Magnolia Discount store where it was abandoned Wednesday night after a traffic stop that led to an officer firing on a suspect, police said. (Robert Morris, UptownMessenger.com)
A New Orleans police officer fired at a man who pulled a gun out during a traffic stop and threatened him with it Wednesday night, leading to a large search for the suspect just off South Carrollton in Gert Town, police said.
About 8:30 p.m., an officer saw two men standing next to a black car parked in the handicapped parking space at the Magnolia Discount at Olive and South Carrollton and questioned them about parking there, said Sgt. Russell Philibert, a task force leader with the NOPD Second District. The man next to the passenger side of the vehicle began searching in the car, then stood up with a gun in his hand and began to run down Olive, Philibert said.
The officer chased the fleeing suspect and at the end of the block, the man turned and pointed his gun toward the officer, so the officer fired at him but did not hit him, Philibert said. The suspect ran onto Short Street and threw his gun away before escaping, Philibert said.
Investigators found the discarded gun quickly but not the suspect, prompting a large search in the area that was still ongoing at 10 p.m. Philibert said both men are shown clearly in the store’s surveillance video, and are working to identify the car left at the scene.
Anyone with information should call CrimeStoppers at 822-1111.
I made the mistake of vacuuming my car next door yesterday afternoon. As I was finishing up I saw what appeared to be a drug deal a few feet away from me. I quickly left when they looked up at me and saw the car pull away on S. Carrollton and the “dealer” or “purchaser” walk back behind the car wash on Short Street.
You saw a drug deal at a car wash…shocker…