Kareem Harris NEW ORLEANS — A community is in mourning after 19‑year‑old Kareem Harris was fatally shot Friday night, January 16, in a shooting outside and inside the iconic Dooky Chase’s Restaurant in the historic Treme neighborhood of New Orleans.
Police say the incident unfolded just before 8 p.m. when Harris, who lived locally and graduated in 2024 from Livingston Collegiate Academy, was pursued by a gunman. In an apparent attempt to seek safety, Harris ran into the foyer of the renowned restaurant on Orleans Avenue, but the assailant followed and continued firing, striking him and killing him at the scene. Authorities confirmed Harris was declared dead where he fell not far from his home.
The shooting also wounded three women tourists who were waiting inside to be seated for dinner. Two of the women were initially listed in critical condition, and the third was reported in stable condition following transport to local hospitals. None of the bystanders had any connection to Harris or the suspect, police said, and the restaurant itself was not a target of the attack.
Dooky Chase’s, a culinary and cultural landmark in New Orleans for more than eight decades, is widely celebrated for its Creole cuisine and its role in civil rights history. Local officials, including city leadership and police, expressed deep sorrow that such violence unfolded at a place long held as a symbol of community and heritage. Investigators emphasized that the shooting appeared to be a targeted attack on Harris, and that the suspect remained at large as authorities pursued leads.
The New Orleans Police Department continues to investigate the circumstances that led to the shooting and is asking for public assistance as detectives work to identify and locate the person responsible. Crimestoppers and local law enforcement have encouraged witnesses and residents with video or information to come forward to aid in the case.
Friends, family and community members have expressed profound grief over the loss of a young life cut short, remembering Harris as a part of the neighborhood whose death has sent shockwaves through the city. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.
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