A young man is fatally shot while at a party.
On a Saturday night in New Orleans, 18-year-old Joshua Jamal Brooks was at a party for teenagers at the B&L Restaurant and Lounge at 700 Port St. The evening of March 12, 2011, took a tragic turn when gunfire erupted shortly before midnight. Joshua, an African-American male, was struck multiple times in the head, chest, and neck.
Pandemonium ensued as teenagers scattered in all directions to escape the shooter. A neighbor, hearing the multiple gunshots, called 911 while witnessing the chaotic scene from her window. When the violence ceased, five teenagers had been shot. Joshua was the only one who succumbed to his injuries that night, pronounced dead at the scene. The other four victims, including a young female in critical condition and three other males aged 14, 15, and 17 in stable condition, were wounded.
In the aftermath, investigators began the task of piecing together what happened. However, the search for suspects and a motive proved to be difficult. Despite the number of potential witnesses at the party, no arrests have been made in the case. The investigation into the shooting remains open, leaving a family and a community still waiting for answers in the violent death of a young man with a large family and many friends.
