Violence Strikes Bourbon Street Amidst Festivities
Mark Tabor, aged 61 and the manager of a Willie’s Chicken Shack on Bourbon Street, experienced a stark contrast between the usual bustle of the French Quarter and the violence that erupted just hours into the New Year.
“I’m glad they cleaned up the streets, but it’s like everything’s forgotten. It’s sad,” Tabor remarked in an interview on Thursday afternoon, reflecting on the incident.
During the early hours of New Year’s Day, Tabor was preparing to close the restaurant, with diners still occupying every table, when gunshots suddenly pierced the air. Patrons and staff rushed inside, and Tabor secured the doors, taking refuge at the back of the establishment with employees and customers until authorities gave the all-clear.
Officers guided people to avoid witnessing the grim scene outside, where bodies lay on the street. “It looked like a nightmare,” he recounted.
Although Tabor seemed composed while recounting the event, he admitted to feeling on edge. He noted that while he is accustomed to the reality of violence in the city, certain images have been difficult to erase from memory.
Heartbreakingly, one of the victims was a young woman who had attended school with his daughter. “She lost her life right in front,” he lamented.
Meanwhile, life outside appeared to resume its normal pace. Tourists wandered the streets, flanked by armed police officers, as bars began to fill with patrons. A woman danced in front of a daiquiri shop, savoring a beignet with her eyes closed.
“They always come back,” Tabor observed, noting the resilience of the area. “Unfortunately, it’s business as usual.”
