Almost 100 Murders In New Orleans So Far, But We’re Talking About Confederate Statues

New Orleans seems to have its priorities mixed up.

Last year, the public heard from the news media and Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s administration how the murder rate was at a decades-long low. The murder rate in 2014 had not been that low since the 1970’s.

Fast-forward to 2015, and there is an entirely different picture of New Orleans. The murder rate, like violent crime, is out of control once again.

So far in 2015, there have been close to 100 murders (98 to be exact) in the city. In the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) 7th District alone, there have already been over 20 murders.

The 7th District includes the Gentilly and New Orleans East area, which we’ve reported has been a war zone for the low-income citizens who live there.

Already, the New Orleans murder rate has more than 35 percent increased since last year and it does not seem to be getting better anytime soon.

Meanwhile, Landrieu and the New Orleans City Council seems to be most concerned about four Confederate-related monuments in the city being taken down because they allegedly invoke racism.

These monuments include: General Robert E. Lee Monument, known as Lee Circle, the General P.G.T. Beauregard Equestrian Statue, the Jefferson Davis Monument and the Liberty Monument.

Landrieu said previously that monuments in the city need to be unifying and represent all New Orleanians equally. But, what kind of impact will taking down four historical statues in the city have on violent crime and the murder rate?

Will the city suddenly become more safe because these statues are no longer erected publicly, representing supposed hate and racism?

The NOPD has long been overwhelmed by violent crime and murder in the city. This is partly why famed businessman Sidney Torres IV had to come in and fully fund a NOPD task force and mobile app in the French Quarter to drive crime down in the area.

And Landrieu and the NOPD are seeking a tax hike just in the NOPD 8th District, which encompasses the French Quarter, to better fund the police in the area. But, crime could subsequently seep out of the 8th District and into other district, leaving other areas more susceptible to murder and violent crime.

There is no easy fix for violent crime or murder in a city like New Orleans. Nonetheless, removing a few statues that allegedly represent racism will do nothing.

Furthermore, so that our readers can grasp a better understanding of the magnitude of the city’s murder rate so far in 2015, we have compiled a list of all of the murder victims below:

Desmond Lange Sr
Desmond Lange Jr
Walter Jackson
Joseph Smith
Jazzmine Marks
Timothy Williams
Donald Young
Aaron Martin
Calvin Everett
Dwight Clark
Tokoyo Palmer
Jowanda Netter
Kenneth Miles
Lindsey Crain
Destrin Johnson
Sara LaMont
Joshua Jackson
Perry Thornton
Peter Dabney
Kimonte Washington
Ivan Williams
Charles Robinson
Oliver Lloyd
Mario Breedlove
Barry Blackwell
Bryant Phillips
Walesha Williams
Paris Williams
Robert Vaught II
Paul Forbes Jr.
Carisa Wiltz
Darvell Barra
Trenice Sam
Teita Vaughn
Glen Rowland
Steve Brackens
Julia Anderson
Bruce Tims
David Turner
Herbert Meyers
Elevterio Saldivar
Michael Price
Alfred Lyons
Gregory Journee
Romalice Campbell
Khallid Mohammed
Jamal Surtain
Esperanza Jimenez Rojas
Cantrell Monday
Keith Coleman
Dennis Floyd
Diamonique Lewis
Louis Brooks
Marcel Coleman
Armando Elvir
Jermaine Martin
Herbert Tennessee
Elliot Veal
Joseph Kyle
Morio Jones
Harold Martin
Toby Roche
Javonte Lawrence
Cylie McCullum
Caden McCullum
Aaron Bannister
James Bennett Jr.
Kendred Bishop
Kendrick Bishop
Darnell Cheneau
Terrance Williams
Milton Reed Jr.
Brandon Soraparu
Melissa Hunter
Brian Jones Jr
Jerome Carter
Dominique Cosey
Joseph McIntire
Cinque Stallworth
Kimberly Gerdes
Alvin Carter
Kendrick Warner
Phillip Thornabar
Erica Reed
Kenneth Hall Jr.
Lindsay Nichols
Timothy Thompson
Daryle Holloway
Michael Spikes
Lloyd Cargo
Margaret Ambrose
Jawara Givens
Travis Williams Jr
Bradley Depenis
Jermall Jarrell
Milan Arriola
William Howard
Dariante Jones
Louis David III
Cesar Rivera
Danielson White
Christopher Bush
Willie Price

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