In the lively atmosphere of New Orleans, just blocks from the festive route of the Krewe of Endymion parade, a tragedy unfolded that cut short the life of Braddock Chambliss, a 43-year-old African American man. A lifelong resident of the city he called home, Chambliss was known by those who loved him for his kind and jovial nature. He worked as an apartment manager and was a father.
On the night of February 13, 2010, the celebratory sounds of the city were pierced by the violence that
claimed Chambliss's life. He was shot multiple times in the 300 block of South Gayoso Street. Emergency paramedics arrived at the scene and rushed him to LSU Interim Public Hospital, but his injuries proved to be too severe, and he passed away later that night. His sudden and violent death sent ripples of grief through his family and the wider community.
The day following the fatal shooting, New Orleans police arrested 26-year-old Sherwood Solomon in connection with the crime. Solomon was subsequently charged with second-degree murder and booked into the Orleans Parish Prison. An investigation into his background revealed a prior conviction for possession of crack cocaine in 2002, though he had no previous record of violent offenses. The case against Solomon proceeded through the justice system, and he was ultimately convicted of the second-degree murder of Braddock Chambliss, facing a mandatory life sentence for the crime that silenced a beloved member of the New Orleans community. A funeral service to honor and remember Braddock Chambliss was held on February 27, 2010, at Mt. Gillian Baptist Church in Prairieville, Louisiana.
