New Orleans Earns “Murder Inc” Title

“Murder Inc” got a new home. And, it’s headquartered in or about the famous French Quarter of New Orleans, as that reputedly fun city claimed the dubious dishonor of having “America’s No. 1 Murder Rate” from St. Louis.

“We’re in a crisis,” one New Orleans businessman told the WSJ, as “violent crime has overwhelmed the city’s police and is motivating some residents and business owners to leave.” We’re told violent crime there has gotten so bad, Ibrahim Rabee no longer feels safe at his auto shop. That’s because “at least 7 people have been killed within block of his store” this year alone. And, Mr. Rabee says, “customers bring in cars for repairs with handguns & semiautomatic rifles piled on the seats … one man with a gun recently threatened an employee who wouldn’t put air in his tire.” After an allied customer walked into the store with a gun & threatened to shoot it up for lack of the demanded service, Mr. Rabee called 911. But, an officer didn’t show until the next day.

Not that New Orleans is alone in its violent crime surge, with about 41 homicides per 100,000 residents so far this year. Yet, the WSJ’s analysis of big city law enforcement departments couldn’t help note the homicide rate for the same period in Chicago was 11.5 per 100K, 4.8 in LA and 2.4 in NYC. Pandemic the culprit? Or, was it police pullbacks after defund the police & racial-justice protests? Or, was it simply a proliferation of guns on the streets? What is clear is the NO violence is unsustainable: Besides the 141% increase in its murder rate, New Orleans shootings are reportedly up 100%, carjackings 210% and armed robberies up 25%.

Davd Soul