Dajuan Wells was a 14-year-old boy from New Orleans, Louisiana, who was loved by everyone who knew him. A student at Mildred Osborne Charter School, he was described by his family as a charming and talented teen, full of energy. His father, Dwayne Wells, said his son was “like gravity” and that everybody loved him. Dajuan, a Black male, enjoyed sports, music, and girls. His friends remembered him as a sweet, funny, and outgoing kid who was very respectful. His sudden death left his school community in mourning, with counselors being made available to support grieving students and teachers.
The afternoon of Monday, January 29, 2024, turned tragic for Dajuan and his family. His mother, Jalika Holmes, said he was supposed to have been on the school bus home. Instead, just after 4:00 p.m., he was in the back seat of a gray car in the Gentilly neighborhood. Witnesses reported seeing people in that car exchanging gunfire with individuals in another vehicle.
The confrontation apparently began on Downman Road and ended near the intersection of Chef Menteur Highway and Louisa Drive. Dajuan was still wearing his charter school uniform when he was struck by multiple bullets. The New Orleans Police Department received a call at 4:03 p.m. and, upon arrival, found Dajuan inside the car. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Surveillance video from the Empire Xpress gas station at the corner captured the chaotic moments after the shooting. The footage showed the gray car driving down the street as the passenger door swung open and a young woman fell out. She got up and ran after the vehicle before turning back toward the gas station, screaming for someone to call 911. The owner of the station, Saed Jadellah, said the girl ran in with her hands full of blood, asking for help. Both she and an employee had difficulty getting through to a 911 operator for several minutes. Jadellah later expressed his heartbreak, saying, "to see a child die and look at him and you can’t do nothing, it’s really hard."
The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) launched a homicide investigation. They learned that the car Dajuan was in had been reported stolen, though his mother believes he was unaware of this. She speculated that someone may have been following the car and that it could have been a case of mistaken identity. Witnesses also told police that another person in the car with Dajuan had been shot in the neck, but this was not officially confirmed by the NOPD. The investigation is ongoing as detectives work to piece together the events that led to the fatal gunfire.
Two days after the shooting, on January 31, the NOPD identified 23-year-old Malcolm Wiley as a person of interest in the case. Authorities publicly stated that Wiley was not wanted as a suspect in the homicide but that they believed he might have information relevant to the investigation. They asked for the public's help in locating him for questioning. As of the last reports, no arrests have been made, and no suspects have been publicly named in connection with Dajuan's murder.
In the wake of his son’s death, Dwayne Wells began selling food and started a GoFundMe page to help cover funeral expenses. He described the pain of having to bury his child, saying, “He didn’t deserve this. No child does. Nobody deserves it.” City Councilman Eugene Green commented on the tragedy at the scene, noting the sobering reality that crime persists despite efforts to reduce it. “This is a reminder that we have a lot to do to eliminate crime in our city,” he said. The community was left shaken by the violent death of a child on a major city thoroughfare in the middle of the afternoon.
The case of Dajuan Wells's murder remains unsolved. His family is left with unanswered questions and the profound grief of losing a beloved son. The New Orleans Police Department continues to investigate the homicide. Authorities urge anyone with information about the shooting or the whereabouts of Malcolm Wiley to come forward. A reward is available through Crime Stoppers of Greater New Orleans, and tipsters can call them anonymously at 504-822-1111.
