A grandfather is shot and killed close to his home. On the warm night of July 30, 2016, Norris Brister, a 51-year-old man, finished his shift as a food runner at a restaurant in the lively French Quarter of New Orleans. Known for his friendly demeanor, he often lingered after work to play pool with his colleagues, but on this particular Saturday, he decided to head straight home. For the past week, he had been taking the bus to his home in New Orleans East, a journey that would tragically be his last.
After getting off at his usual stop at the corner of Morrison Road and New Castle Street, he began the final leg of his trip home on foot.
Shortly before 1 a.m. on what was now Sunday, July 31, 2016, the sound of gunshots pierced the night. Norris Brister was found shot and lying in the middle of the 7700 block of Keats Street, the very same block where he lived with his daughter and her three children. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His daughter, Kentrell, was not home when the shooting occurred but arrived to the harrowing sight of a crime scene unfolding on her street. She noticed her father's backpack and shoes in the street and tried to alert the police, but was initially told the victim was too young to be her father. The devastating confirmation that the victim was indeed Norris Brister came three hours later, compounding the family's grief.
A beloved father of eight and a grandfather to seventeen, Norris was deeply connected to his family and community. He was remembered for his ever-present smile and his love for football and spending time with his grandchildren. In the years that have followed his death, his murder remains unsolved. Authorities have not publicly identified any suspects or a motive in the shooting. The New Orleans Police Department continues to ask for anyone with information to come forward, as a family and a community continue to await answers and justice for the senseless loss of a cherished loved one.
