Freddie DeJean Jr., a 68-year-old male, was enjoying an afternoon with others in New Orleans' 7th Ward on Sunday, December 1, 2019, when a festive atmosphere was shattered by gunfire. In a sudden and violent outburst, DeJean and three other men were shot as they gathered near Hardin Playground. The attack was swift and brutal, leaving a scene of chaos in its wake.
First responders arrived to a grim tableau.
DeJean was one of four victims in what authorities described as a quadruple shooting. He, along with 28-year-old Louis Morgan, succumbed to their injuries, their lives tragically cut short. Two other individuals were also wounded in the assault but survived. The broad daylight shooting sent shockwaves through the community, prompting an immediate and intensive investigation by the New Orleans Police Department.
In the days that followed, family and friends mourned the loss of DeJean, a man remembered in his obituary as a loving husband, father, and grandfather. A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, he was a respected member of his community. While the police processed the crime scene and interviewed witnesses, the motive for the shooting remained elusive, and no suspects were immediately identified.
Despite the initial flurry of media coverage and law enforcement activity, the investigation into the murders of Freddie DeJean Jr. and Louis Morgan has grown cold. Publicly available information and news reports have not yielded any updates on arrests made or suspects identified in the years since the shooting. The case remains an open and unresolved homicide, leaving the families of the victims and the community still waiting for answers and for justice to be served.
