Dad shot dead while picking up child from church day care, Louisiana cops say

A father was discovered shot dead in the parking lot of a church’s day care, where he was waiting to pick up his child, Louisiana police say.

The dad was killed during a carjacking Sept. 30 outside Abeona House Child Discovery Center, New Orleans Police Department Supt. Nicholas Gernon said during a news briefing.

“I don’t think he even knew the person; he just aimed at the car and just started shooting at it,” a witness, Luke Gower, told WDSU. “His gun jammed, according to the homeowner. There I was, the next car in line, so I just feel lucky, I guess.”

Police said the accused shooter, 21-year-old Raymond Wells, took the victim’s car and it was later found on the side of Interstate 10.

Inside the car, Wells was discovered with a gunshot wound to the head, police said. He was taken to a hospital and listed in “grave condition.”

Gernon said that prior to the victim’s shooting, Wells was “up to something,” potentially breaking into cars in the area. Wells is accused of firing at witnesses before fleeing toward the church.

Police described the shooting as “a horrible scene and a horrible crime.”

Officials at First Grace United Methodist Church, which houses the day care, said its council would be meeting to discuss “additional steps we need to take,” according to NOLA.com.

The victim has not been named, but Brennan’s Restaurant General Manager Christian Pendleton told WVUE he worked there as a sous chef.

Pendleton described him as “a happy person and a great dad.”

“Nobody deserves this, but he did not deserve this,” Pendleton told the station. “He was infectious. He was passionate about hospitality. He was passionate about cooking, and ... of the many things I admired about him… he loved teaching people.”