A promising young life was cut short on a summer evening in New Orleans East. Aniyah Heno, a 15-year-old girl, was fatally wounded in a shooting that also left an 11-year-old boy injured on August 27, 2023. The incident unfolded just after 5:30 p.m. in the vicinity of the Siegel Select Hotel on the I-10 Service Road, a scene that was soon cordoned off by New Orleans Police Department officers.
Emergency medical technicians arrived to find both victims suffering from gunshot wounds.
They were quickly transported to a local hospital for treatment. Tragically, Aniyah Heno was pronounced dead at the hospital. The 11-year-old boy, however, was listed in stable condition. The Orleans Parish Coroner's Office later confirmed the identity of the deceased teenager and scheduled an autopsy to determine the official cause of death.
In the wake of the shooting, the New Orleans Police Department began its investigation into the homicide. Despite the public identification of the young victim and the outcry over the senseless violence that claimed her life, authorities have not publicly identified any suspects in the case. Details regarding the circumstances leading up to the shooting have not been released, and no arrests have been announced in connection with Aniyah Heno's death. The investigation remains ongoing as her family and community await answers and seek justice for the loss of a child with a future ahead of her.
