New Orleans police are looking for an armed robber who allegedly attacked a jogger in City Park.
The incident occurred at 8 p.m. on Monday.
According to the NOPD, a woman was sprinting through the park when a gunman pulled her to the ground.
Police claim the perpetrator demanded the woman’s belongings. She handed them over, and the suspect escaped.
Regular park visitors are increasingly doubting their sense of safety in one of the city’s most popular green places.
“I feel sorry for her. I hate that that happened to her,” Chesare Morris said. “You come to the park wanting to just get your energy off and do your exercise and then you have to watch your back all the time. That’s no fun. It takes away from the peace of the walk.”
Claire Hesse added that it’s a shame you have to keep your head on a swivel while jogging.
“I think a lot of people don’t pay any attention to their surroundings,” Hesse told the crowd. “I think it’s a shame that you can’t go out after dark.”
Police say the attack took place on Palm Drive, near the park’s famed practice track.
The jogger was unidentified, and no injuries were recorded.
Regular park visitors are now planning to be more cautious.
“I come when I know there’s a lot of people around because you get some shady people sometimes in here, so I just come when there’s a lot of people. If I have to yell ‘help,’ somebody’s coming,” Morris said.
“When you see a well-used park like this, all ages, international visitors, I would hate for it to get a reputation as not being safe,” Hesse went on.
