NOPD Eighth District officers arrested Hakim Lewis (DOB: 05-10-1994) and Chase Brelsford (DOB: 10-30-1989) this weekend for illegally carrying guns on Bourbon Street.

The first incident happened on August 12, 2017. At approximately 3:15 a.m., officer Joseph Premo and officer Joseph Betcher were patrolling in the 700 block of Bourbon Street when they were approached by a witness . The witness advised officers of a subject, later identified as Lewis, brandishing a semi-automatic pistol in his backpack at an unknown individual in the 600 block of Bourbon street. The witness was able to positively identify the arrested subject, who was walking down Bourbon Street toward Orleans Street.

Lewis told officers he had a gun in his backpack. During a search, officers located a semi-automatic pistol and two loaded magazines. Lewis was arrested and booked accordingly.

On August 13, 2017 at about 2:21 a.m., Officer Valencia Pedescelaux and Sergeant Samuel Dupre of the Eighth District Bourbon Promenade Unit were flagged down by a pedicab driver at the intersection of Bourbon and Iberville Street. The driver told police that the passengers he dropped off failed to pay and ran away from him.

The pedicab driver then directed the officers to the group of subjects who were standing in front of 227 Bourbon Street. As the officers obtained identification from the subjects, a male subject, later identified as Brelsford, advised officers he had no identification on him. However, the officers observed the subject had a wallet in his hand. During a pat down of Brelsford, officers located a firearm in the subject’s right front pocket as well as his identification information.

He was arrested and booked accordingly. 

Citizens with information that can help solve a crime are asked to call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111 or toll-free 1-877-903-STOP.