Comedian Brandon ‘Boogie B’ Montrell identified as man slain outside New Orleans grocery store

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - The 43-year-old man shot to death Friday (Dec. 23) outside a Warehouse District grocery store was identified by family and an attorney Saturday as comedian Brandon “Boogie B” Montrell.

News of Montrell’s death spread widely across social media on Friday night, though New Orleans police and the Orleans Parish Coroner’s office still had not revealed the victim’s identity as of Saturday afternoon. Montrell was a popular personality on TikTok and Instagram for his entertaining “Hood History” series of videos in which he lent a humorous spin to historic locations, events and persons throughout New Orleans.

A cousin of Montrell’s told Fox 8 that the comedian had been living in Los Angeles while pursuing his entertainment career, but had returned to his hometown this week to spend Christmas with his mother and grandmother in Slidell.

New Orleans police said Friday that the man struck and killed by gunfire did not appear to be the intended target of two unidentified shooting suspects, one of whom fled the scene in a gray or silver sedan. The victim was fatally shot while inside a vehicle parked at the Rouses grocery store at 701 Baronne St. around 4:07 p.m.

“My son was not just the victim of a stray bullet,” Montrell’s mother Sherilyn Price said Saturday in a statement released by family attorney Juan LaFonta.

“He’s the victim of decades of neglect that have left New Orleans’ youth with no hope for a future and with no real fear of consequences. It’s past time for leaders in our city and all over to do their jobs. It matters who the president is, who the governor is, and who the mayor is. Leaders create opportunities – including the opportunity to live in peace without fear of random violence.”

Montrell was born in New Orleans but spent part of his childhood in Tampa before returning to Louisiana, the statement said. Montrell graduated Bonnabel High School and attended Delgado Community College.

“When crime and violence in New Orleans became worrisome, Montrell relocated to Washington D.C. and became a comedian,” the statement said.

Montrell is believed to have been getting Christmas groceries for his grandmother when he was killed, caught in the crossfire of two gunmen shooting at each other in the parking lot. He had planned to attend a friend’s comedy show at Harrah’s New Orleans later Friday evening, LaFonta said.

“He was a really good guy,” LaFonta said. “Always pushing himself forward. Never involved with anything negative.

“Folks need to understand that what leads to horrors like this isn’t greed, it isn’t drugs, and it isn’t violent tendencies. It’s the failure of our city’s leaders to provide proper and even minimal support for families and youth.”

LaFonta said Montrell’s mother was “angry” over her son’s death and not yet ready to speak publicly.

“She’s angry,” he said, “but not in a ‘street justice’ kind of way. She’s more angry that there’s no leadership in this city to prevent things like this and no help for these kids doing these kinds of things.”

Police are looking for Daryl Love, 24, and the driver of a 2019 silver Nissan Altima with license plate 488EXW in connection to Montrell’s killing. Love is not wanted on any charges at the moment, but detectives believe he has information vital to the investigation.

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