In the heart of New Orleans, a tragic story unfolded, cutting short the life of a young man and sending ripples of grief through his community. Nineteen-year-old Kareem Harris, a student at Livingston Collegiate Academy, found his life brought to a violent end.
On the evening of January 16, 2026, Harris was being pursued by a gunman. Seeking refuge, he ran into the foyer of the renowned Dooky Chase's Restaurant on Orleans Avenue.
However, the sanctity of the historic establishment could not shield him from the violence that followed. His pursuer followed him inside and opened fire, fatally wounding Harris. The brazen attack also resulted in injuries to three bystanders who were waiting to be seated. Two of the wounded patrons, women visiting from Los Angeles and Florida, were hospitalized in critical condition, with one sustaining multiple gunshot wounds that required extensive surgery.
The New Orleans Police Department swiftly launched an investigation into the shooting. Their efforts led to the identification and subsequent arrest of two suspects. Makahi Kelly, 18 years old, was apprehended and booked with second-degree murder, identified by police as the shooter. A second individual, 22-year-old Anthony Johnson, was also taken into custody, accused of being the getaway driver in the incident. During his questioning, Kelly reportedly attempted to harm himself.
While a motive for the shooting has not been definitively established by law enforcement, there were suggestions of a possible retaliatory act. However, this notion was strongly contested by Kareem Harris's family and friends. His older sister, Kia Simmons, vehemently denied that her brother was involved in any activity that would provoke such a violent reprisal, stating that he had every reason and opportunity to retaliate against others who had been bothering him but chose not to. City officials emphasized that the restaurant itself was not the target of the attack but became the scene of the crime simply because Harris sought sanctuary there. The entire incident was captured on surveillance video, which has not been publicly released.
