In the early hours of New Year's Day 2025, while the city of New Orleans was otherwise occupied with celebrations and the unfolding chaos of a terror attack on Bourbon Street, a separate tragedy was taking place in a downtown parking garage. Percy Baytop Jr., a 41-year-old male, was found deceased in the Caesar's Casino garage located in the 600 block of Convention Center Boulevard.
He was discovered lying outside his red Toyota Camry with a fatal gunshot wound to the head and was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident occurred shortly before 2 a.m.
Amid the city-wide emergencies, the New Orleans Police Department investigated this homicide as an unrelated event to the other major incidents of the day. The Orleans Parish Coroner's Office later publicly identified Percy Baytop Jr. as the victim of this violent crime. This act of violence marked a somber beginning to the new year for the victim's family and the community.
In connection with the death of Percy Baytop Jr., authorities later made an arrest. Sean Black, a 53-year-old male, was taken into custody by the New Orleans Police Department. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting and the connection between Baytop and Black is ongoing as the legal process moves forward.
