Second Lines & Brass Bands
Monday, May 20, 2013
Friday, May 17, 2013
NOPD makes another Mother's Day shooting arrest
Posted by Alex Woodward on Fri, May 17, 2013 at 3:13 PM
New Orleans Police Department officers arrested another suspect related to the Mother's Day second line shootings. This afternoon, Monique Pepe, 19, was charged with being an accessory to attempted second degree murder for allegedly hiding 24-year-old Shawn Scott, who was arrested along with his 19-year-old brother Akein Scott. Authorities identified the brothers as the shooters.
Pepe also was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of heroin, and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, according to the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office.
Pepe's arrest brings the number of arrests to seven in connection to the shootings. Yesterday morning, authorities also arrested Justin Alexander, 19, Brandy George, 28, Bionca Hickerson, 22, and Nekia Youngblood, 32, who allegedly helped hide Akein Scott. They all were charged with accessory after the fact to attempted second degree murder and obstruction of justice for harboring a fugitive.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Benefit for Mother's Day shooting victims May 23 at Tip’s
Posted by Clancy DuBos on Thu, May 16, 2013 at 5:27 PM
Gambit’s Foundation for Entertainment Development and Education, Tipitina’s Foundation, United Way of Southeast Louisiana and Silence Is Violence have joined forces to host a special benefit concert for the 19 victims of the May 12 shooting. The concert will be next Thursday (May 23) at Tipitina’s, 501 Napoleon Ave., and will feature local brass bands, Mardi Gras Indians, and other musicians and entertainers. Doors open at 7 p.m.
Tickets to the benefit are $40 in advance and are available online via Ticketweb.
The organizations also announced formation of The 19 Fund, a special fund-raising effort to aid the 19 victims of the May 12 shooting — and future victims of violence in greater New Orleans. The 19 Fund was the brainchild of representatives of the four nonprofits as well as several concerned citizens who volunteered to help victims of the shooting. The mission of The 19 Fund is “to help victims of violence heal physically, financially and emotionally.”
All proceeds from the May 23 benefit concert — and all funds raised by The 19 Fund — will be turned over to United Way, which will serve as fiscal agent for The 19 Fund at no charge. Silence Is Violence will coordinate victim services, which will include financial aid as well as help accessing other free and discounted social services from governmental and nonprofit sources. Details of how The 19 Fund will provide assistance to the 19 victims of the May 12 shooting (and future victims) are available on the Ticketweb page for the concert.
The benefit concert has drawn support from several notable entertainers. Fats Domino, actor Wendell Pierce of HBO’s “Tremé” series, and Big Chief Donald Harrison Jr. have volunteered to serve as honorary co-chairs of the benefit. Harrison also will perform with his band, The Congo Square Nation, in full Mardi Gras Indian dress. Other performers include The Hot 8 Brass Band, The Stooges Brass Band and Bonerama. Tipitina’s Foundation is lining up additional performers, who will be announced in the coming days.
All proceeds of the benefit — 100 percent of ticket and drink sales — will go to The 19 Fund to assist victims.
Akein Scott's brother and 4 others in custody for Mother's Day shootings
Posted by Alex Woodward on Thu, May 16, 2013 at 2:30 PM
- ALEX WOODWARD
- Mayor Mitch Landrieu announces the arrest of 6 people involved with the Mother's Day shooting.
Returning to the intersection of Frenchmen and North Villere streets, city officials and law enforcement announced the capture of second line shooting suspect Akein Scott as well as his brother, 24-year-old Shawn Scott, and four others.
New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Ronal Serpas confirmed Shawn Scott as the second shooting suspect. In 2007, Scott pleaded guilty in possession of cocaine and heroin and was sentenced to five years probation. In 2008, he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute heroin and was to serve an eight year sentence. He was out on parole until December 2015. Like his brother Akein, Scott was charged this morning with 20 counts of second degree attempted murder. (A person was trampled by the crowd following the shooting and has been identified among the victims, hence the 20 counts of attempted second degree murder.)
"Shawn has a lengthy record and has demonstrated his contempt for New Orleans," Serpas said.
Serpas also announced Justin Alexander, 19, Brandy George, 28, Bionca Hickerson, 22, and Nekia Youngblood, 32, allegedly helped hide Akein Scott. They all have been charged with accessory after the fact to attempted second degree murder and obstruction of justice for harboring a fugitive.
Akein Scott in custody
Posted by Alex Woodward on Thu, May 16, 2013 at 10:15 AM
- ORLEANS PARISH SHERIFF'S OFFICE
- Akein Scott
Akein Scott, the 19-year-old suspect in the Mother's Day second line shootings, was arrested from a home in the Little Woods neighborhood in eastern New Orleans late last night. He appeared in Orleans Parish Magistrate Court this morning with bail set at $500,000 for each charge — Scott was booked with 20 counts of attempted second degree murder. His bail is set at $10 million.
Scott was scheduled to appear in court today on unrelated charges from an arrest in March, when he was allegedly found with a stolen gun and heroin. He was charged with possession of stolen firearms, possession of heroin and resisting an officer. He was released on bail last month, which Mayor Mitch Landrieu said "was a mistake." Landrieu has requested judges to set bail no lower than $30,000 on gun charges. "Unfortunately, some judges in this building have ignored that request," Landrieu said.
At around 3 a.m. Thursday, Scott was booked with 20 counts of attempted second degree murder.
New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Ronal Serpas said he believes Scott has ties to gang activity, and WWL-TV reports NOPD is searching for a possible second gunman.
A press conference with Landrieu, Serpas and other city officials is set for noon at the corner of N. Villere and Frenchmen streets, where the shooting occurred.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Original Big 7 will "re-do" Mother's Day second line
Posted by Alex Woodward on Wed, May 15, 2013 at 6:02 PM
Original Big 7 Social Aid & Pleasure Club organizers announced it will "re-do" its second line parade, interrupted by the shooting at its Mother's Day procession, at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 1. It will follow the same route.
At Monday night's community rally on Frenchmen Street, Big 7 manager Dismas Johnson said the group had been in talks with Mayor Mitch Landrieu and the New Orleans Police Department to find an appropriate day to schedule the parade. "It's something that's got to go on," Johnson said.
The group announced it also is accepting donations at this fundraising website or by mail to 1823 Elysian Fields Ave., New Orleans, LA 70117.
The Original Big 7 Social Aid and Pleasure Club community is deeply saddened by the foolish violence that took place during our annual Mother’s Day’s Parade. Our hearts and prayers go out to all of the victims of this tragedy and their families. We are with them in the struggle for health, wellness, and justice.We are proud to announce that we will be doing a Re-Do Mother’s Day Parade On Saturday June 1, 2013 at 1pm on the same exact route. ... We are starting a donation fund for the Original Big 7 Social Aid and Pleasure Club to Re-Parade; the donations are to pay for the brass bands and for the victims affected by the violence that accorded on Mother’s Day.
Blood drive for Mother's Day shooting victims
Posted by Alejandro de los Rios on Wed, May 15, 2013 at 12:40 PM
The New Orleans Musician's clinic is seeking donors to sign up to give blood Wednesday May 22 to benefit victims of the Mother's Day second line shooting, according to WWOZ.org. The full statement released by the New Orleans Musician's Clinic, as well as instructions on how to sign up to give blood, are below:
The New Orleans Musicians Clinic will be hosting a replacement blood drive on Wednesday, May 22 from 3-9 pm for the victims of Sunday's shootings. In order to confirm the bloodmobile, they need at least 25 signups by this Friday.
Sign up by emailing the following information to Erica Dudas of NOMC at office@nomaf.org by Friday at 10a:
1) full name 2) full address 3) phone number and 4) time preferred (somewhere between 3-9 pm May 22)
The earlier we can hit the 25 signups the better! NOMC hopes to collect a minimum of 50 pints of blood.
Because this is a replacement drive for those victims of the shooting on Sunday, donors are welcome to fill out the blood replacement claim form prior to the event and bring it with them, or there will be forms available there as well.
Here is some general information about giving blood.
Questions? Contact Erica at office@nomaf.org with questions.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Mother's Day shooting suspect had prior arrests
Posted by Alex Woodward on Tue, May 14, 2013 at 9:50 AM
A few hours following a community rally at the site of the Mother's Day second line shooting, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officials named Akein Scott, 19, as the suspect, seen in the surveillance footage.
This is not Scott's first brush with the law. In March, Scott was charged with possession of heroin, possession of stolen firearms and resisting an officer, according to Orleans Parish Criminal Court records. The charges were refused. He was released on bond April 29.
At a press conference yesterday afternoon, NOPD superintendent Ronal Serpas urged the suspect to turn himself in. "We know a lot more about you than you think we do," he said. "My recommendation is to collect yourself and turn yourself in to the nearest police facility, DA’s office or anywhere you may want."
Police name suspect in Mother's Day shootings
Posted by Kandace Graves on Tue, May 14, 2013 at 8:38 AM
Police are searching today for 19-year-old Akein Scott as a suspect in the shootings of 19 people at a Mother’s Day second-line parade in the 7th Ward.
At a news conference Monday night Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas called on Scott “to do the right thing” and surrender. The police chief said several people had identified Scott as the shooter in a videotape the police released after the shooting.
Police originally said they were searching for three suspects who were seen fleeing the vicinity of the shooting, but on Monday night Serpas said it was too soon to know how many people were involved.
Serpas said Scott previously had been arrested on weapons and drug charges, as well as resisting an officer, but was free on bond at the time of the shooting.
Three of the people injured during Sunday’s shooting remain in critical condition. Five others have been released from the hospital.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Photos: Community rally gathers at site of second line shooting
Posted by Alex Woodward on Mon, May 13, 2013 at 10:33 PM
- ALEX WOODWARD
- Brother Al Mims Jr. brought this painting to the rally at the site of a second line shooting.
As sun set at the intersection of Frenchmen and North Villere streets, 200 people gathered at the site of yesterday's Original Big 7 Social Aid and Pleasure Club's annual Mother's Day second line, which ended prematurely as 19 people were injured in a shooting. Mayor Mitch Landrieu, members of New Orleans City Council, community leaders and others spoke into a microphone at the center of the intersection.
"Everybody on this street knows that what happened yesterday has nothing to do with the cultural beauty of New Orleans," Landrieu said. "It happened during a sacred event. ... We all came out here to reclaim this spot, and to say what happened yesterday does not reflect who the people of New Orleans are or what we're about."
Members of the Big 7 pledged that the second line will return, possibly next month. The organization's business manager Dismas Johnson told Gambit that organizers have met with the mayor's office and NOPD about picking a new time and location. "It's something that's got to go on," he said.
Speaking to the crowd, Big 7 member Edward Buckner echoed that pledge as he introduced Jason, an 11-year-old boy who attended yesterday's parade and ran from the shooting. "It sounded like a big ol' explosion," he said. "At least my family was safe. At least nobody got killed. I wanted to say, a solution is if you got a gun it means you're scared."
His mother Monique Foucher said Jason ran when he heard the shots. "He wasn't scared," she said. "We asked God to protect us and put a shield around us."
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