One man has died and another is in custody following a fatal shooting Tuesday afternoon in the St. Claude area of New Orleans.
Neighbor Describes Victim as “A Shining Light”
Friends and neighbors are mourning 41‑year‑old Michael Garcia, remembering him as a warm, welcoming presence in the community. They described Garcia as a loving father, a wonderful neighbor, and a military veteran.
“He threw a big crawfish boil for the neighborhood a couple of weeks ago,” said neighbor Cassandra Brupbacher. “My husband helped out with that as well. There were so many people that loved him and he loved them.”
Altercation Followed Two‑Vehicle Crash
According to witnesses, the shooting occurred following a two‑vehicle crash at North Claiborne Avenue and Desire Street. Calvin Stewart, who saw the incident from his store’s parking lot, said he noticed trouble as soon as the crash occurred.
“Something happened down the road,” Stewart said. “The little car cut him off and jumped out. I knew something had already happened.”
When officers arrived, they found Garcia inside one of the vehicles with a gunshot wound to the head. He was taken to a local hospital, where he later died.
Suspect Arrested on Scene
Police detained 48‑year‑old Terrence Leavell at the scene. After further investigation, detectives identified him as the shooter. Leavell was booked into the Orleans Parish Criminal Justice Center and charged with manslaughter and firearm offenses related to the incident.
Community Reacts to Violence
Brupbacher said the shooting has left residents shaken. “It also shows us how unwell we are as a society with everything going on and how somebody would get so upset to the point, at a car accident, to get their gun out,” she said.
Stewart echoed concerns about gun violence in the neighborhood. “They don’t just have them — they use them without thinking,” he said.
Garcia’s friends said it’s difficult to grasp how a minor traffic accident escalated into deadly violence.
“It just reminds you how life is so precious and it can be taken at any moment, in any way,” Brupbacher said.
