Police say a 4-year-old boy was shot in the head and remains hospitalized after a Jan. 1 incident at a New Orleans East apartment complex.
NEW ORLEANS, LA — A magistrate commissioner on Wednesday set a $490,000 bond for Robert Torregano, 25, who is accused of opening fire on New Year’s Day at The Willows apartments in New Orleans East, wounding a 4-year-old boy and an adult man, according to police and court records.
Torregano’s bond decision came in an Orleans Parish Magistrate Court hearing to determine whether he should be held without bail as a danger to the community. Prosecutors argued the alleged gunfire during a domestic dispute left a child critically hurt and a man shot multiple times. The defense opposed a no-bail hold. The commissioner instead set bond just under half a million dollars as the case moves from the initial appearance stage toward formal arraignment. The New Orleans Police Department says the child remains in critical condition; the adult victim was stabilized after surgery.
Police say the shooting happened shortly after 6:15 p.m. on Jan. 1 in the 7500 block of Lawrence Road. Witnesses told officers a man emerged from a residence and fired toward a group that included adults and children. Investigators say the child was struck in the head and treated at the scene by EMS before transport to a hospital. A wounded adult male drove himself to another hospital for treatment. “The preliminary investigation indicates that this incident stemmed from a domestic dispute,” the New Orleans Police Department said in a statement. Detectives collected statements and are reviewing physical evidence recovered at the apartment complex.
Court filings show Torregano is booked on two counts of attempted second-degree murder, six counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, one count of aggravated criminal damage to property and one count of illegal discharge of a firearm. Police and court officials have not publicly identified the victims. The NOPD said the child remains in critical condition; the adult victim was described as stable after emergency surgery. Investigators have not said what triggered the dispute or whether anyone else fired a weapon. The department has not announced additional arrests, and no further suspect descriptions have been released.
The gunfire was one of several New Year’s Day shootings reported across the city. Police said five people were wounded in three separate incidents on Jan. 1, underscoring the early-year workload for detectives and first responders. The Willows, a large apartment complex along Lawrence Road in New Orleans East, has seen repeated police calls in recent years. In this case, officers cordoned off a stretch of parking lot and walkways to process shell casings and map the trajectory of rounds as night fell on the holiday.
After his arrest, Torregano surrendered to police and was booked into the Orleans Parish jail ahead of Wednesday’s bond hearing. With bond now set, the case is expected to be allotted to a section of Orleans Parish Criminal District Court for future dates. Prosecutors will decide whether to seek an indictment or proceed by bill of information. An arraignment date was not immediately listed as of Wednesday. If Torregano posts bond, release conditions typically include orders to avoid contact with victims and witnesses and to comply with any geographic restrictions set by the court.
Neighbors at The Willows described a heavy police presence and flashing lights on the night of the shooting as officers moved door to door to speak with residents. Parents carried children indoors while investigators photographed vehicles and building exteriors. A department spokesperson said detectives are still seeking additional information from anyone who was in the courtyard or parking area around the time of the shots. The apartment complex’s security staff has provided access to camera locations, and police are reviewing footage for angles showing the moments before and after the gunfire.
As of late Wednesday, the NOPD said the child remained in critical condition and the adult victim continued recovering from multiple wounds. The case now shifts to Criminal District Court scheduling, with the next hearing expected once the prosecution files charging documents or a judge sets an arraignment date.
Author note: Last updated Sunday, January 11, 2026.