New Orleans Police officials said they have arrested 39 people on suspicion of illegally carrying guns in the French Quarter over the Halloween weekend.
During a Friday press conference, NOPD Eighth District Captain Hans Ganthier said the arrests were recorded between Oct. 28 and Oct. 31. Of the 39 arrests, 33 were on Bourbon Street, Ganthier said, adding that a total of 37 guns were seized.
Ganthier referred to the guns that were neatly arranged in a table in front of him.
“The guns on that table not only represent someone who was arrested for illegally carrying a firearm, but that arrest possibly prevented a potential shooting, a potential homicide, as well as being a safety concern to our residents [and] to our visitors in the French Quarter,” Ganthier said.
Of the 39 individuals arrested over Halloween data show that all are male, including five juveniles, with the youngest being 15 years old. The oldest person arrested is 37 years old, according to the NOPD’s data.
In addition to illegally carrying a concealed gun, those arrested were accused of other offenses such as possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm while in possession of a controlled dangerous substance, illegal possession of a firearm by a juvenile, possession of a firearm while in an alcohol beverage outlet, illegal possession of a stolen firearm and handling of unlawful machine guns.
The recent arrests add to the 333 gun-related arrests Eighth District have made over the course of the year and of that number, Ganthier said 254 came from Bourbon Street and most of those were in the 300, 400 and 500 blocks.
The discrepancy between the 39 arrests and the 37 guns seized is because two guns were seized in a hotel room in connection to the arrests of four juveniles, Ganthier said.
Ganthier added that the recent arrests were a result of a “change in supervision” which consisted of rotating more proactive officers into the Bourbon promenade unit, including sergeants and lieutenants who taught officers how to spot someone carrying a gun.
When asked how officers were identifying people carrying guns, Ganthier said through “good police work.”
The unit changes have also resulted in a drop in nonfatal shootings, from two in 2022, compared to 10 in 2021, Ganthier said.
“The efforts of these officers show they are committed, dedicated and prove they are willing to put themselves in harms way in order to keep our community safe and protect our city,” Ganthier said.
To watch the press conference, visit NOPD’s social media page.