James E Newman,William J Shoop Obituary, Death; – The Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office has confirmed the identities of two men who were fatally shot early Thursday morning in the 7th Ward.
The victims, 53-year-old James E. Newman and 73-year-old William J. Shoop, were roommates of the suspect, who was taken into custody after a four-hour standoff in the French Quarter on the same day. According to police reports, the suspect was experiencing a mental health crisis when officers arrived on the scene.
At approximately 12:50 a.m., officers conducted a welfare check at a residence on the 1700 block of Rousselin Street, where they found Newman and Shoop with gunshot wounds. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene, as confirmed by the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD).
About thirty minutes later, police received a report of an armed individual in the French Quarter, specifically in the 900 block of Royal Street. During the standoff, the suspect allegedly fired at the police, prompting at least one officer to return fire, although no one was injured as a result.
Authorities indicated that the suspect sustained injuries from non-lethal measures employed by the officers during the standoff, but further details were not provided. The suspect was taken into custody before 6 a.m., just prior to the commencement of the nearby French Quarter Fest.
