By: FOX 8 Staff | fox8live.com | July 10, 2023
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – A second suspect has been arrested in the armed robbery, shooting, and paralyzation of UNO student Noah Hansard.
Police say Hansard, 24, was robbed and shot in the 2400 block of Paris Avenue in the Lake Terrace neighborhood of New Orleans on Aug. 21, 2022. He was left paralyzed from the waist down, his life changed forever.
The suspected shooter, Cruz Matute, 16, was arrested and is awaiting trial as an adult.
On July 6, 2023, U.S. Marshals arrested Tata Say, 20. He was booked into jail on charges of principal to attempted first-degree murder and principal to attempted armed robbery.
“It’s about time. I’m relieved,” said Elisabeth Hansard, Noah’s mother. “I have met a lot of victims in this city who have never seen their crimes come to a conclusion.”
Hansard has been a vocal advocate, pushing Orleans District Attorney Jason Williams to try Matute as an adult.
“I think because of the work we’ve been doing, justice will be served. Frankly, if this case had occurred in any other part of our state, or even in other parts of the nation, I believe it would be handled differently,” Hansard said.
Meanwhile, Rafael Goyeneche with the Metropolitan Crime Commission said it looks likely both Matute and Say will face trial for the crime at the same time.
“They’ll be tried together, unless the defense can make some motion to not,” Goyeneche said. “Now that there are two perpetrators, both of them identified, both in custody, and now it’s in the hands of the district attorney’s office and the courts to get these into a posture where they can be tried.”