What was supposed to be a joyful birthday weekend in New Orleans ended in tragedy when Jessica Williams, 33, a mother from Chicago, was fatally shot in the French Quarter early Sunday morning.
Williams, who had traveled to Louisiana with her family to celebrate both her birthday and a cousin’s college graduation, was struck by gunfire around 2 a.m. on the 100 block of Bourbon Street near Canal.
New Orleans police say she was an innocent bystander caught in the crossfire after a fight between two men escalated into a deadly shootout. Three others were injured, including one of Williams’ younger sisters.
Family members say Williams rarely made time for herself, devoting her life to her two children. According to her cousin, Kardajia Wells, she had to be persuaded to take the trip.
“It’s either work, my kids or doing something with my kids. It’s no in-between,” Wells told ABC 7 Eyewitness News.
The family had been walking back to their hotel when the altercation broke out. Witnesses recalled chaos as shots rang out into the crowded street. Bourbon Street, usually bustling with nightlife, was eerily quiet by dawn, with cleaning crews clearing debris as police combed the scene.
Two people of interest have been interviewed, and authorities say they are searching for another man believed to be responsible for the shooting. The investigation remains ongoing.
Meanwhile, Williams’ family is left devastated, rallying around her children as they process the loss of a woman described as selfless, hardworking, and the glue of her family.
“How do you go to another city to have some fun and return with everyone but one person?” Wells asked.
Williams’ sister, who was also wounded in the shooting, is recovering in a New Orleans hospital and is expected to return home later this week.
