A person was killed in a fatal stabbing Monday (Feb. 27) in the 7th Ward, police said. Officers responded to the scene near the intersection of North Claiborne Avenue and Columbus Street just before 9 a.m. They found the victim suffering from stab wounds. The victim was taken to a local hospital where the victim later died died, according to a preliminary police report.
"The gender and/or identity of today's victim is currently being investigated, but friends have identified the victim as Ciara Dupree. The victim has no local family members. Detectives are still conducting interviews with closest friends," said NOPD spokeswoman Dawne Massey.
Witnesses told police that they saw a man get out of a black car, possibly a Camaro in the 1700 block of Columbus Street. He got something out of the trunk, walked to the passenger side of the vehicle, stabbed the victim, then removed the victim from the car, police said. The suspect got back into the car and drove away.
Another witness, who said he's known the victim for several years, said he saw the Camaro pull up to a stop at the corner. He saw the driver arguing with the victim, who was in the passenger seat. At some point the driver reached across the victim and opened the passenger side door, after which the driver got out of the vehicle, the witness said.
"Dude came around to the passenger side and I see a knife in his hand. I'm thinking he's about to stab him but, apparently, he already stabbed him(her) in the car," said the witness who asked to remain anonymous out of concern for his safety. "Then he pulled (the victim) out by his(her) head and slammed his(her) face to the ground. Then he pulled off."
The victim never moved and once police rolled him over, the witness saw that it was his acquaintance. It looked like the victim had been stabbed in the shoulder, chest and side near the lungs, the witness said.
Police officers at the scene placed three evidence markers near a storm drain and collected a black flip-flop and what appeared to be a bloody towel.
There was an outpouring of support on Facebook for Ciara: