Taiesha Watkins, a 27-year-old Black female, was tragically killed on the night of July 28, 2018, in New Orleans, Louisiana. A mother from Houston, she was visiting the city for the weekend when she found herself in the midst of a violent shootout. The incident, which unfolded on the 3400 block of South Claiborne Avenue, was not a random act of violence, but rather a targeted attack in which Watkins was an unintended victim.
Two other individuals, Kurshaw Jackson, 38, and Jeremiah Lee, 28, also lost their lives in the gunfire that erupted.
The shooting was chaotic and brutal. Two gunmen, armed with a rifle and handguns, opened fire on a crowd of people. Their primary target was Jeremiah Lee, who was allegedly associated with a local street gang. As Lee attempted to flee, the gunmen pursued him, firing indiscriminately into the crowd. It was during this hail of bullets that Taiesha Watkins was struck and killed. In total, ten people were shot in the incident, with seven others sustaining injuries. The brazen nature of the attack, with the assailants standing over one of the victims and firing multiple rounds, sent shockwaves through the community.
For more than three years, the case remained a painful open wound for the families of the victims. Then, in October 2021, a significant breakthrough was announced. The New Orleans Police Department identified one of the alleged gunmen as Jamal Smith, born on April 24, 1989. At the time of this development, Smith was already incarcerated on separate federal weapons and drug charges. He was subsequently charged with three counts of second-degree murder and seven counts of attempted second-degree murder for his role in the mass shooting.
Despite the arrest of Jamal Smith, the identity of the second gunman involved in the deadly assault remains publicly unknown. Law enforcement officials indicated at the time of Smith's charging that the investigation was still very active, with promising leads being pursued. However, as of early 2026, there have been no further announcements regarding the identification, arrest, or prosecution of the second individual responsible for the tragic death of Taiesha Watkins and the other victims of the South Claiborne Avenue shooting. The case against Jamal Smith for the murders is also not reflected in publicly available records, though he was sentenced to 131 months of incarceration in April 2023 for federal gun and drug offenses. The full measure of justice for Taiesha Watkins and her loved ones remains incomplete as one of the alleged perpetrators has yet to be held accountable.
