Louisiana Man Suspected in a Shooting Has Been Arrested on Multiple Charges After Fleeing from Police

St. Bernard, Louisiana - A 41-year-old Louisiana man has been arrested after a shooting and charged with aggravated flight from an officer, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen firearm, and other charges. He is also a suspect in a shooting in which two men were injured, with one in critical condition.

St. Bernard Sheriff James Pohlmann said on January 5, 2023, that they apprehended a person wanted by the New Orleans Police Department in connection with a shooting that happened Thursday afternoon in the Lower Ninth Ward.

The St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office charged Matthew Bell, 41, of Monroe, Louisiana, with aggravated flight from an officer, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen firearm, convicted felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a stolen vehicle, and resisting arrest.

Sheriff Pohlmann stated that on Thursday, January 5, at approximately 12:17 p.m., deputies with the Field Operations Bureau Patrol Division observed a black Hyundai Sonata without a license plate entering St. Bernard Parish headed eastbound on West Judge Perez Drive near Angela Street in Arabi, Louisiana.

When deputies attempted to stop the vehicle near Alexander Avenue, the driver, later identified as Bell, refused to stop. Bell, who was armed with a handgun, exited the vehicle on Friscoville Avenue while it was still moving and escaped on foot.

Following a brief scuffle, deputies recovered the vehicle and promptly caught Bell nearby.

Sheriff Pohlmann stated that the nearby Arabi Elementary School was placed on lockdown for a brief period of time until the suspect was captured out of an abundance of caution. There were no students outside at the time of the occurrence.

Detectives with the New Orleans Police Department said Bell is a suspect in a shooting that happened just minutes earlier near the intersection of Tupelo Street and North Robertson in the Fifth District's lower Ninth Ward.
According to detectives with the New Orleans Police Department, the incident included two adult male victims who were both transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. One victim was shot in the neck and is in critical condition, while the other was shot in the lower right side of the face and is in stable condition.

The firearm Bell was carrying, as well as the vehicle he was driving, were both reported stolen by the New Orleans Police Department.

The NOPD said the investigation is ongoing.

A background check on Bell discovered that he is a convicted felon with a lengthy criminal record, including a 2013 conviction for attempted second-degree murder.

Anyone with information about this event can contact Crimestoppers Greater New Orleans at (504) 822-1111. Tipsters can remain anonymous, are not required to testify, and may be eligible for a monetary award.

An arrest is an indication that probable cause exists to believe the subject was involved in the offense alleged. A person is innocent until proven guilty.