A deputy constable and a property manager were shot Wednesday while serving an eviction notice at an apartment complex in the West Lake Forest area of New Orleans, authorities said.
Update: Accused shooter caught in Mid-City; 3 schools on lockdown
First City Court Constable Lambert Boissiere Jr. said the injured deputy is 53-year-old Warren Smith, a longtime constable who formerly served in the New Orleans Police Department.
Smith was shot in the shoulder and was rushed to University Medical Center, authorities said. A section of Interstate 10 was briefly shut down for the ambulance.
The 36-year-old property manager was shot in the chest, according to NOPD Chief Shaun Ferguson, who held a press conference outside UMC with Boissiere. Watch the video.
Both of the wounded men were alert and responsive, Ferguson said at 11:30 a.m., and their vitals were stable.
Searching for shooter
A deputy constable and a property manager were shot while serving an eviction notice at an apartment complex in New Orleans, authorities said …
The shooting was reported just before 10 a.m. in the 7800 block of South Coronet Court (map).
The two men were serving papers when "gunfire erupted," Ferguson said. Three people were present at that point - the deputy constable, the property manager and the tenant, he said.
Ferguson said they don't know who fired a gun, but they are searching for the person who was being served with the eviction notice.
They are also investigating if the deputy fired his weapon.
Searching with helicopter, K-9s
There was a heavy police presence at the complex as of 11 a.m., with New Orleans police officers, the SWAT team and members of the FBI, U.S. Marshals and ATF. Many were wearing bulletproof vests and were armed with rifles as they walked the streets.
A helicopter crew from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office also responded to the scene to assist in NOPD's investigation, according to JPSO Capt. Jason Rivarde.
In addition, K-9 units were searching the area.Â
The scene was still for nearly two hours and spanned multiple blocks on South Coronet Court. Around 1 p.m., police were breaking down the perimeter on Coronet Court and had stopped canvassing the area.
NOPD spokesperson Aaron Looney said the person remains at large and the search has moved to a wider range.
Authorities did not release details about the person they were looking for at the complex.
They are asking anyone with information to call Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111.
'Was going so smoothly'
Smith was serving eviction papers along with another deputy constable, but it was going smoothly and the colleague went ahead to the next address before Smith was shot, Boissiere said.
"It was going so smoothly, he felt comfortable to go to the next one," Boissiere said. "We do hundreds of them and very seldom have a problem."
First City Court records show Smith was serving an eviction warrant issued Sept. 6.
Boissiere said his deputies are trained to call NOPD if it looks like there will be trouble and "not to use a weapon unless absolutely necessary."
"In this case, he didn't have a chance to call anyone," Boissiere said during the press conference.
'Heard a couple shots'
A neighbor who has lived in the area for 37 years said she heard the gunfire Wednesday.
"I heard a couple shots-boom! Boom!," said the woman, who asked to remain anonymous because she fears retribution. "My neighbor called and said 'Girl, they shot a police officer.'"
Around 12:15 p.m., authorities seemed to focus their attention on one of the apartment buildings in the 6800 block of Coronet Court.
"He’s in there right now," said Darren Williams, who moved to North Coronet Court a month ago, as he gestured to the apartment building where an armored SWAT vehicle was stationed. “I hope he comes out with his hands up.
"Some people are ashamed of losing their house, getting put out," Williams said. "They get to the limit and hurt themselves or someone else.
Staff writer Michelle Hunter contributed to this story.
