In November of 2013, a confrontation in a Kenner, Louisiana, apartment complex parking lot resulted in the death of 24-year-old Don White of New Orleans. The incident began on the evening of Friday, November 8th, when a Kenner police officer responded to a report of a stolen vehicle that had been detected by one of the city's license-plate recognition cameras.
The officer located the stolen car in the 3500 block of Martinique Avenue.
According to police accounts, when the officer approached the vehicle, Don White, who was behind the wheel, allegedly drove the car directly at the officer. The officer, described as a veteran of the department, discharged his weapon, striking White once in the head. Following the shooting, White was transported to LSU Interim Hospital in New Orleans. He was placed on life support but succumbed to his injuries and passed away on Sunday, November 10, 2013, after being removed from life support.
The Kenner Police Chief at the time stated publicly that he believed the officer's actions were justified, asserting that the officer was fortunate not to have been injured or killed himself. The officer involved in the shooting was not publicly identified. In the aftermath of the event, Don White's family filed a lawsuit against the Kenner Police Department, alleging the use of excessive force and a violation of White's civil rights.
