In the early morning hours of May 6, 2006, a night out in the vibrant French Quarter of New Orleans turned tragic for Tommy Clark Gentry, a young Black / African American man. The evening began inside a nightclub on the 200 block of Bourbon Street, where an altercation occurred. Gentry had stepped in to protect two women who were being harassed by another man.
Following the dispute, Gentry walked the women out of the club. As they reached the intersection of Bourbon and Bienville Streets, the individual from the nightclub confronted them again. It was at this corner that the assailant, armed with a handgun, shot Tommy Gentry multiple times. The gunfire shattered the late-night revelry, and Gentry collapsed at the corner of Bienville and Dauphine Streets. He was rushed to Tulane Medical Center, but his injuries proved fatal, and he died.
In the years that have passed since the shooting, the case of Tommy Clark Gentry's death has remained unsolved. While it has been reported that numerous arrests were made in connection with the investigation, none have led to a conviction. The New Orleans Police Department has investigated the homicide, and a reward has been offered by Crimestoppers for any information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for Gentry's death. The lack of resolution has left his family and friends searching for justice for a life cut short in an act of violence.
