New Orleans has a way of breaking your heart just when you think you’ve seen it all. On Friday night, January 16, 2026, the city didn't just lose a young man; it felt like a piece of its soul was chipped away. We aren't talking about a random street corner or a late-night bar fight. This happened at Dooky Chase’s Restaurant. If you know anything about the Tremé, you know that place isn't just a restaurant—it's a sanctuary of civil rights history and the best fried chicken on the planet.
The video of shooting in New Orleans that began circulating shortly after the 8:00 p.m. incident tells a story that is as frantic as it is tragic. Honestly, it's hard to watch. It’s not the kind of polished footage you see in movies. It’s grainy, shaky, and captures the literal last moments of 19-year-old Kareem Harris.
The Foyer Footage: Seconds of Chaos
The surveillance video, which NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick confirmed exists and has been reviewed by investigators, shows a sequence of events that lasted maybe thirty seconds. It starts with Harris running. He wasn't looking for a table. He was looking for a shield.
He bursts through the North Miro Street door into the foyer. You can see the desperation in the way he moves. Behind him, a gunman is in pursuit. The shooter doesn't even fully enter the main dining room—thank God for that, I guess—but instead opens fire right there in the entryway.
The shots were deafening. Harris collapsed right there by the door. But he wasn't the only one hit. Three other people, just folks waiting for an Uber or standing in line for a taste of Leah Chase’s legacy, were caught in the crossfire. One minute you’re thinking about gumbo, the next you’re on the floor of a historic landmark wondering if you’re going to make it home.
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Who Was Kareem Harris?
People are going to try to turn this into just another statistic. Don't let them. Kareem Harris was a graduate of Livingston Collegiate Academy. His friend Michael Willis described him as having "good energy," the kind of kid who helped take care of his girlfriend’s child.
Was he the target? Mayor Helena Moreno was very clear about that: Yes. This wasn't an attack on Dooky Chase’s. It was a "targeted event" where the victim tried to find safety in the most public, respected place he could find. Sadly, the walls of history couldn't stop the bullets.
Why This Video is Different
Usually, when a video of shooting in New Orleans goes viral, it’s a blur of cars on I-10 or a dark alleyway. This one is different because of the setting. Seeing police tape wrapped around the intersection of North Miro and Orleans Avenue, with the mural of Leah Chase looking on, hits different.
The NOPD has been canvassing the area, and they’ve been pretty vocal about asking residents to check their Ring cameras. They’re looking for a specific detail seen in the footage: the shooter actually started to leave, turned around, came back for a second, and then fled for good. That kind of hesitation suggests the shooter might actually be from the neighborhood.
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- Victim: Kareem Harris, 19.
- Bystanders: Three injured (two critical, one stable as of the last update).
- Location: 2301 Orleans Ave (Dooky Chase’s foyer).
- Status: Several people were questioned in a nearby Tremé apartment complex on Saturday, but no official arrests have been made yet.
The Reality of the "SafeCam NOLA" Network
You've probably heard about the city's push for more cameras. This incident is basically the litmus test for that system. While the restaurant’s internal video of the shooting in New Orleans captured the muzzle flashes and the collapse, it’s the external "SafeCam" and private residential footage that will likely catch the license plate or the getaway path.
The NOPD First District is under immense pressure right now. It’s one thing to have crime in the city; it’s another to have a homicide inside a place that presidents and icons have frequented for decades.
What We Get Wrong About These Videos
Look, there’s a lot of misinformation that flies around when these clips hit social media. Some people claimed there was a shootout inside the dining room. That’s false. The interior door remained shut. The patrons inside were terrified, sure, but the violence was contained to that small foyer area.
Others suggested it was a robbery gone wrong. Again, the evidence—and the video—points to a targeted chase. This was personal.
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Actionable Steps for New Orleans Residents
If you live in the Tremé or have been following the fallout of this video of shooting in New Orleans, there are things you can actually do rather than just feeling helpless.
- Check your footage: If you live within six blocks of Dooky Chase’s, review any recording from Friday, January 16, between 7:45 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Look for anyone running or a vehicle speeding away.
- Use the Anonymous Line: You don't have to give your name. Call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111. There is often a cash reward for information leading to a felony arrest, and in a high-profile case like this, the community is usually very motivated.
- Support the Landmark: Dooky Chase’s closed for the weekend out of respect and for the investigation. When they reopen, go back. The best way to keep these "sanctuaries" safe is to keep them crowded and vibrant.
- Verify Before Sharing: If you see a "new" angle of the video on TikTok or X, check if it’s actually from this incident. People often repost old footage from the 2025 Bourbon Street attack or other events to farm views.
The city is currently waiting for the Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office to finish the formal autopsy, but the community has already started a small memorial. It’s a heavy start to 2026, but the clarity provided by the surveillance footage means this case is likely to break sooner rather than later.
Key Evidence Summary
The investigation is centered on the 2300 block of Orleans Avenue. Police have seized the restaurant's DVR system and are currently cross-referencing the "foyer video" with footage from the NOLA Ready Streetwise app and the SafeCam NOLA network. While three people were handcuffed for questioning on Saturday afternoon at a nearby apartment complex, they were released pending further evidence. The motive remains "under investigation," though the targeted nature of the chase is the primary lead.