Authorities in New Orleans are investigating the apparent suicide of Orleans Parish Assistant District Attorney Ian Kersting, who was found dead inside the district attorney’s office on Saturday night. According to WVUE, Kersting, 34, was discovered around 9 p.m. with an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound in the staff offices of District Attorney Jason Williams.
Kersting was a key member of the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), a program that collaborates with New Orleans Police Department detectives to solve and prosecute sexual assault cases using DNA evidence. His role was integral to addressing and prosecuting sex crimes, an area of critical importance in the Orleans Parish DA’s Office.
BREAKING: New Orleans Assistant District Attorney Ian Kersting has been found dead in an apparent suicide.
Kersting was a prosecutor who specialized in collaborating with the New Orleans Police Department’s sex crimes detectives to investigate and prosecute sexual offenses using… pic.twitter.com/YUQNGhOcVi
— The General (@GeneralMCNews) January 5, 2025
In a statement, District Attorney Jason Williams’s office expressed their grief over Kersting’s death. “The Orleans Parish DA’s Office family suffered a terrible tragedy Saturday night,” the statement read. “Assistant District Attorney Ian Kersting was a beloved member of our office, and we send our love and deepest condolences to his family.” The office also requested privacy for those affected by the tragedy and emphasized the need for mutual support during this difficult time.
The incident comes on the heels of a major tragedy in New Orleans, where a terrorist attack on New Year’s Day left 14 people dead and at least 30 others injured. The attack, carried out by 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar, involved a truck driven through a crowded area on Bourbon Street.
Authorities confirmed that Din Jabbar had been inspired by ISIS, as evidenced by his social media posts leading up to the attack, as well as an ISIS flag discovered in his rented vehicle. Improvised explosive devices were also found nearby, escalating the severity of the attack.
The Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office and local authorities have not indicated any direct connection between Kersting’s death and the recent terrorist attack. However, the back-to-back tragedies have cast a shadow over the city, which has been grappling with the emotional and physical aftermath of the attack.
The New Orleans Police Department has not yet responded to requests for further details regarding Kersting’s death or the ongoing investigation. The Orleans Parish DA’s Office has refrained from additional comments, emphasizing the need to respect the privacy of Kersting’s family and colleagues.
The community continues to mourn the loss of lives from the attack on Bourbon Street, alongside the sudden death of Kersting, who was recognized for his dedication to justice and the victims of sexual assault. Both incidents have left the city in a state of grief as officials and residents seek to process the events and move forward.
