Christopher Oatts Jr Obituary – The family of Christopher Oatts Jr. confirmed to WDSU that the Florida resident was shot and killed on Bourbon Street Saturday morning. The family said they were in town on a family bonding trip when Oatts was shot, and having their loved one taken away from them at a time when they were having fun breaks their hearts. “We were in denial. We didn’t think something like that would happen,” said Oatts’ cousin.
According to the New Orleans Police Department, Oatts was shot in the 600 block of Bourbon at about 4:07 a.m. NOPD said Oatts was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. “We don’t know how to feel because everything is still it’s less than 24 hours and unreal,” said Oatts’ sister Quintella Graham.
The family told WDSU Oatts was a son, brother, father, and friend. “Christopher was a very loving, helpful, genuine, peacemaker and protector. He was an amazing person,” said Graham. As a piece of yellow crime tape still lingered at a bar along Bourbon Street hours after Oatts was killed. Tourist Kameron Swearengin said she was in a hotel a block away from the shooting and heard the commotion.
“Four o’clock in the morning, I heard a bunch of sirens and things going on. I figured it wasn’t good but I didn’t come out and investigate,” said Swearengin. The shooting comes two weeks before a major festival brings thousands of tourists to the city.
In a statement a spokesperson with Troop NOLA said “Louisiana State Police will continue to review operational plans with our local, state, and federal partners to target criminal activity throughout the city. Further public safety plans will be released in coordination with city officials in advance of upcoming festivals and the Super Bowl next year.”
“It’s sad, it’s awful especially when a lot of people come here to vacation,” said Swearengin. The family said this heartbreak is unimaginable and leaves a void that can’t be filled. “We’re still in disbelief. We’re shocked and we’re just trying to gather our thoughts and get things together. You don’t move on from something like this,” said Graham.
The NOPD has not released any information on what led to the shooting.
