National Guard Shoots Man in Lower 9th Ward

This story from the Times-Picayune online at www.nola.com/t-p/:

National Guard shoots man in Lower 9th Ward

A Louisiana National Guard member on patrol in the Lower Ninth Ward fatally shot a man early Thursday, police said.

Shortly before 1 a.m., a group of guardsmen came upon a man on a bicycle, holding a hacksaw and behaving oddly, according to New Orleans police. The guardsmen exited their vehicles near Benton and North Miro Streets to question to man. The unidentified man brandished a knife, threatened the guardsmen and threw a piece of broken glass at them, police said.

The glass allegedly cut a sergeant on the arm. The man then ran into a home in the 2100 block of Benton Street, which appeared to be in disrepair. Police said it is not known if the man lived there.

By this time, NOPD officers arrived at the scene and accompanied the guardsmen into the home, according to police.

Inside, the man allegedly pointed a rifle at the group. A National Guard Sergeant, not the one previously cut by the thrown glass, then fired on the man, police said.

The man sustained several gunshots to the upper torso and was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

The gun pointed at the officers was a BB gun, police said.
“New Orleans Police Homicide Detectives are investigating the incident,” the NOPD stated in a news release. “It appears the guardsman’s actions were appropriate and lawful.”

The man’s identity was unknown as of Thursday morning.