Brandon ‘Boogie B’ Montrell, an American comedian popular on TikTok and Instagram, has died after getting caught in the crossfire of a gunfight.
He was shot to death on Friday outside a Warehouse District grocery store while sitting in his car.
New Orleans police explained how he appeared to have been caught in the crossfire and was not the intended target of the shooting that was occurring between two men in the parking lot of the store.
He was home from LA for Christmas to see his mother and grandmother when tragedy struck.
The NOPD has released photos of a pair of suspects in the shooting, pictured below. Both men are considered armed and dangerous.
Montrell’s mother Sherilyn Price released a statement in the wake of her son’s death: “My son was not just the victim of a stray bullet… He’s the victim of decades of neglect that have left New Orleans’ youth with no hope for a future and with no real fear of consequences.
“It’s past time for leaders in our city and all over to do their jobs. It matters who the president is, who the governor is, and who the mayor is. Leaders create opportunities – including the opportunity to live in peace without fear of random violence.”
“People aren’t born criminals,” said Juan LaFonta, a longtime friend of Montrell who is representing the family pro bono.
“Folks need to understand that what leads to horrors like this isn’t greed, it isn’t drugs, and it isn’t violent tendences. It’s the failure of our city’s leaders to provide proper and even minimal support for families and youth. Crime can best be stopped when it is prevented.”
