In the warm evening of June 27, 2019, the vibrant energy of the Parisite Skatepark in New Orleans was shattered by violence. It was there that 22-year-old David Emanual Magee, a male, was found with fatal gunshot wounds. The call came in to the New Orleans Police Department at approximately 9:23 p.m., reporting an aggravated battery by shooting in the 1600 block of Pleasure Street, the location of the popular skate park.
Upon their arrival, officers discovered Magee suffering from the
gunshot injuries. Emergency medical services were dispatched to the scene, but his wounds proved too severe, and he was pronounced dead at the location. The Orleans Parish Coroner's Office later officially identified the victim as David Magee.
The investigation into the homicide quickly progressed, and detectives from the NOPD Homicide Unit identified a suspect. Just over a week later, on July 5, 2019, their investigation led to the arrest of 19-year-old Christopher Steele. Members of the NOPD's Violent Offender Warrant Squad, in conjunction with the U.S. Marshals Joint Operation Task Force, took Steele into custody without incident in the 7000 block of Lawrence Street.
Following his arrest, Christopher Steele was booked into the Orleans Parish Justice Center on one count of second-degree murder in connection with the death of David Magee. His bail was subsequently set at $750,000. In a poignant tribute, friends and family of David Magee honored his memory by rolling his casket up a stunt ramp at the very skate park where his life was tragically cut short.
