Monica Hernandez / Eyewitness News
ALGIERS, La. -- Hundreds packed Thursday night’s meeting in a standing room only crowd in Algiers, outraged over the horrific murder of a Good Samaritan.
They questioned police about crime in the neighborhood and how a community mourning the life of a hero can work together to make New Orleans a safer place.
Albert Zuest never knew the Good Samaritan who was killed Wednesday morning, but he spent the day nailing flyers to telephone poles in hopes of tracking down Harry “Mike” Ainsworth’s suspected murderer.
“I’m going to keep going into that neighborhood. You tear one down, I’m going to put up five more,” he said.
A memorial grows in the spot where Ainsworth was shot to death in front of his children while trying to stop a carjacking. And an anti-crime meeting, planned last week, was standing room only as heartbroken neighbors asked police for help.
Ainsworth’s family attended the meeting, along with several council members and NOPD Superintendent Ronal Serpas.
“You’re not going to stand for it. We’re not going to stand for it,” Serpas said. “We’re going to demand that we become a better police department. I’m not satisfied with this police department yet, not at all, but we’re going to make this department what it has to be.”
Police say 80 officers patrol the Algiers area daily. And while community members say crime was up 30 percent in Algiers last year, police say violent crime was actually down.
“I am so sorry this happened,” said Heather Kouts of the NOPD 4th District. “I wish I had five officers standing on either end of this block when it happened, and I know ya’ll do too.”
Neighbors also expressed concern over the beating and mugging of a woman near the Algiers Point ferry landing during the Saints playoff home game, in which police took over an hour to respond.
“They punched her right in the face, took her right to the ground, took three of her teeth out,” said Clint Coleman, the victim’s husband. “I was able to get from the 600 level of the ‘Dome, done and walk, and still beat the first responding officer.
Still, police and neighbors say they’ll work with what they have to try and curb the violence.
Police are still on the lookout for the suspected murderer, and Coleman says, when he showed his wife the composite sketch, she believed it was the same person who mugged her.
That suspect is described as a man in his 20s, who is 5’6” to 5’8” tall and weighs 140 to 150 pounds.
If you have any information, you're asked to call New Orleans police or Crimestoppers at 822-1111.
