Sunday morning's shooting victim was found on South Saratoga near Jena, very close to three robberies that took place on Wednesday evening.
Police found the man at 5:20 a.m. Sunday while responding to a report of a shooting in the 4500 block of South Saratoga, said Lt. Mike Montalbano of the NOPD Second District investigative unit. The victim remains in critical condition, Montalbano said, but investigators believe the shooting was during a robbery attempt.
The shooting took place within blocks of three robberies at gunpoint that occurred during a one-hour time span Wednesday night, and amid a broader trend of armed robberies Uptown that now numbers more than a dozen in two weeks. Police have made tentative links between several of the cases, based on approximate descriptions from the victims, but have yet to identify suspects.
I live 2 blocks from [the shooting] on Sunday Morning. I do not see increased police patrols. I do not see anything about this in the Time Pic. I called the Commissoner at the 2nd district and got a voice mail. What the heck is being done?
Ms. Hutton, thank you for sharing your thoughts, and I’m sorry for the violence in your neighborhood. I redacted the name of the victim for the time being, until I can get it confirmed. I’ll continue working on this and post more news when I have it.
Of course. That is a good policy.
I am told fundraisers will be held to help pay for medical care since the victim is uninsured. The point is that people get robbed and shot all the time here in NOLA. Usually it is explained away by the police as being in Central City, or in the East with the implication that it was part of a drug transaction or altercation between criminals (they always list the rap sheet) so that we can all feel ok about it. As though it is any less tragic or that such crime could not easily escalate and kill an innocent bystander. But these 18 robberies over the past 2 weeks Uptown are not reported on Nola Ready and are not being mentioned anywhere else except here. They are in a very small area of town and under very similar circumstances. If the local government does not have the resources to provide law or order, perhaps they need to ask the Governor or the federal government for help. Thank you for paying attention and keeping us informed.
Sherri
Sherri – the victim in the shooting has now been publicly identified as Nathaniel Zimet of Boucherie, as you mentioned in your earlier comment. Lt. Montalbano told me that he is now in stable condition.
Here’s the Times-Picayune’s story on him, posted this afternoon: http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2011/05/chef_of_popular_uptown-area_re.html
Ms. Hutton I agree with you, I live in the Jena area around Saratoga and Danneel and I have not seen any increase in police presence, especially at night. I shouldn’t have to make use of my 2nd amendment rights in order to walk my dogs down my street or walking to Fat Harry’s, this is getting out of control and it is a shame that it took someone prominent getting shot in order for the media to pay attention and hopefully pressure on NOPD. Stop the madness
This is getting scarier by the day. We live in the Uptown neighborhood and I am afraid to take my son for a walk with his bicycle. And he is too young to understand why we can’t go out for walks, anymore. I never see police patrolling our neighborhood. When I DO see them, they are driving through stop signs and speeding down Camp Street (with no sirens) like they are above the law.
Thanks for covering this crime wave before any of the other local media did.
This was out of control weeks ago, and it looks like it isn’t going to slow down. Though I have seen several police officers in unmarked cars on several corners.
I live on that block, this is scary stuff. Is there any leads on the perpetrators of these robberies that have now escalated to shootings? They have to be familiar with the neighborhood in order to know who comes at what time.
On Friday night 4 police officers came by St. Joe’s checking to see if everyone inside had their ID. They then went across the street to Slice Pizzeria and asked a table dining outside for their IDs. I asked the table after the they left what they had said and one of the guys said that they were rude and that one of them didn’t have his ID but they took his debit card as proof that he was of age. A debit card!?! Great work guys! Now our citizens are possibly safer from underage imbibers, but also most certainly in greater danger when it comes to actual armed thieves that aren’t scared to kill!
This is really maddening.
I live just one block from where this happened. The other night I had some one ring my doorbell at 12:07am, hitting me up for money. I reported it to the police and I also have not noticed a stronger police presence. It’s very upsetting.
I have been coming home early to avoid being the next victim – which means I am not out spending money – bad for the local economy. However, I am not going to accept that there is “just alot of crime Uptown”. It is like saying we just have bad schools, blighted property, etc. It is unacceptable and something must be done about it. I am happy to pay more taxes for a better paid, and trained police force. How it the Mayor not having anything to say about this?
I noticed an unmarked police car going down my street twice yesterday evening while I watered my plants. Not sure what was going on. And, yes, this is my neighborhood too.