Darriel King, a 53-year-old man, was fatally shot on the evening of Sunday, April 7, 2024, while working as a security guard at the Wit's Inn bar in the Mid-City neighborhood of New Orleans. King was well-known and respected in his community, not only for his security work but also for his community organizing and volunteer efforts. He had even recently been a candidate for the state Democratic Executive Committee.
On the night of the incident, King denied entry to 27-year-old Tirrell
Gilmore. Accounts from the bar's management and witnesses indicate that Gilmore was refused entry because he appeared to be heavily intoxicated and did not meet the bar's age requirement of 30 years old. An argument ensued between King and Gilmore, which tragically ended with Gilmore pulling out a gun and shooting King in the chest. The suspect then fled the scene in a vehicle. Darriel King was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Following an investigation, the New Orleans Police Department identified Tirrell Gilmore as the suspect. He was arrested on Monday, April 15, 2024, in Harvey by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. Initially, Gilmore was booked on a charge of second-degree murder, which carries a mandatory life sentence in Louisiana.
The case, however, did not proceed to a murder trial. On Monday, June 9, 2025, just before jury selection was set to begin, Tirrell Gilmore pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter as part of a plea agreement with the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office. This plea deal resulted in a 10-year prison sentence for Gilmore. The District Attorney's office stated that the decision to offer a plea deal was made after discussions with Darriel King's family, who supported the outcome. The prosecution cited 'evidentiary challenges' in the case, noting the absence of video surveillance that captured the actual moment of the shooting, as a key factor in the decision. While some, including a friend and coworker of King, expressed disappointment with the length of the sentence, the plea deal ensured accountability for the killing.
