Police are searching for the gunman and are asking for the public’s help.

A man was killed, and three bystanders were wounded, in a shooting in the foyer of an iconic New Orleans restaurant, authorities said, and the gunman remains at large.

The shooting occurred just after 8 p.m. Friday, when a young man was being shot at and chased down the street, New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said.

The man ran into the small foyer of Dooky Chase’s Restaurant to try to escape, she said. The restaurant was full at the time, and “because there was so much gunfire going on,” Kirkpatrick said, “three innocent bystanders were hit” in the foyer.

The three women who were shot and wounded were all tourists waiting for tables, Kirkpatrick said.

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Two of those women were friends from Los Angeles, she said.

One of the friends was shot more than five times and suffered “very severe gunshot wounds,” the chief said.

“She has been in [the trauma intensive care unit] and has had several surgeries,” Kirkpatrick said at a news conference on Monday. “As of last night, she has come out of those surgeries successfully. She will be in the hospital for a couple weeks.”

The second woman from LA had surgery and has been upgraded to stable condition, the chief said.

Police work the scene of a shooting, Jan. 19, 2026, in New Orleans.
WGNO

The third woman, who was visiting from Florida, suffered graze wounds and was treated and released hours after the shooting, the chief said.

Police said they are looking for the unknown gunman, with the chief noting that “there’s some speculation [the gunman] may have been with others.”

The young man shot and killed was the target, the chief said, noting that it “appears to be a retaliatory-type of shooting.”

A reward of $13,500 is available, Darlene Cusanza of Crimestoppers Greater New Orleans said.

“The perpetrators ran within, right out of the restaurant. And so we know that people have seen something, because the event occurred on the street,” Kirkpatrick said. “I can understand that people are fearful about these things, but that’s why Crimestoppers is so important, because we don’t want your name, we only want your information.”

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Dooky Chase, a New Orleans institution for Creole food, has been open for more than 80 years and has served as a meeting place for politicians, civil rights leaders and musicians. Former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush have visited the establishment. Martin Luther King Jr. frequented the restaurant, the police chief said, noting that the shooting happened over MLK weekend.

The Chase family said in a statement, “Dooky Chase’s Restaurant has always been a place of gathering, culture, and care. We remain steadfast in our commitment to the people and community of New Orleans. As a family rooted in faith and community, we lift up in prayer all those impacted by this random and tragic incident.”

“We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and support for our guests, staff, family, and our historic restaurant during this difficult time,” the family added.