By Kenny Kuhn | WWL Radio | November 13, 2020
New Orleans Superintendent Shaun Ferguson announces key arrests and guns confiscated as the department deals with a spike in violent crime.
During a Friday press conference, he says significant arrests have been made in all eight police districts. Homicide arrests are up by over 34 percent, carjacking arrests are up by 61 percent and shooting arrests are up by just over 3 percent according to Ferguson.
However, this contradicts crime data analyzed by the Metropolitan Crime Commission, which shows crime over all, is outpacing crime statistics from last year. In just the past three weeks, at least four people were fatally shot and several more wounded in shootings in the Hollygrove, Gert Town and Leonidas neighborhoods.
Ferguson says the department’s newly formed Violent Crime Abatement Investigative Team has collaborated with the FBI and State Police to make arrests, which also resulted in 1,680 guns off the street.
Seven firearms displayed at today’s media conference were confiscated from a July police raid on a home in the 4300 block of Clio Street, Ferguson said.
“The men and women of the New Orleans Police Department remain committed to the safety of our city, bringing criminals to justice and keeping this community safe each and every day,” said Ferguson.
This all comes as the NOPD is working with fewer officers because of citywide furloughs due to the ongoing COVID pandemic.