Good Samaritan Killed Trying to Help CarJacking Victim

A man in New Orleans heard a woman screaming and rushed to help. According to the New Orleans Police Department, the 44 year old was trying to help the victim of a carjacking when he was shot and killed by the criminal. The man’s two sons, ages nine and ten, witnessed their father’s death.

Mike Ainsworth was waiting for his son’s school bus when he heard a woman begin screaming. He ran to help, but the carjacker shot him. His sons tried to help their father, but his wounds were too serious. He died before the ambulance arrived. The woman was not harmed in the incident.

Lieutenant Gary Marchese with the New Orleans Police Department said that Ainsworth’s shooting was a real tragedy. The shooting occurred in the Algiers Point neighborhood and according to the president of the neighborhood association, Skip Gallagher, it’s not unusual for residents to come to the aid of others. Gallagher said that he believes any other man that heard the woman screaming would have responded in the same manner. He also believes that Ainsworth’s death will not change that.

The woman was sitting in her car when a man approached her and knocked on the vehicle’s window. He asked what time it was. She turned to look at the clock in the car and the man pulled out a handgun. The gunman told the woman to get out of the car. When she didn’t do as he told her to fast enough, he started yanking on her. She started screaming. Ainsworth jumped on the hood of the woman’s car after the gunman got behind the wheel.

New Orleans’ mayor, Mitch Landrieu called the shooing “tragic and gruesome.” Just last week, the city of New Orleans was working with community activists to try to figure out how to stop the high rate of homicides in the city – especially with Mardi Gras approaching. The city has the highest per capita murder rate in the nation.

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