The owner said suspected burglars fired dozens of rounds after seeing a Michael Myers figure inside the parked truck.
NEW ORLEANS, La. — Suspected car burglars opened fire on a parked pickup early April 18 near Joseph and Willow streets after seeing a Michael Myers mannequin inside the vehicle, striking the truck, nearby vehicles and a home, authorities and the owner said.
The shooting turned a homegrown theft deterrent into a violent scene in the University section of Uptown New Orleans, near Tulane University. The pickup’s owner, who was not publicly identified, said he placed the masked mannequin in the truck to scare away people pulling on door handles. Instead, he said, the figure startled the suspects and led to gunfire. No injuries were reported in available accounts, and no arrests had been announced as of Sunday.
The owner said the suspects were moving along the street and checking vehicles before they reached his Toyota pickup. He said they opened the truck door, saw the mannequin wearing a Michael Myers mask and reacted as though someone was sitting inside. “These guys were coming down the street and going into vehicles, and when they got to mine, they started opening the door, and they got scared,” the owner told WWL. He said one suspect jumped back and began firing, then two others also fired. The owner estimated more than 30 rounds were fired during the encounter.
Police records cited in local reporting said the suspects fled in a silver Nissan Altima. The pickup was hit at least 20 times, the owner said. Two other vehicles also were struck, and bullets hit the side of the owner’s home. The owner said shell casings from 9 mm and .40-caliber weapons were left in the street and on the sidewalk. The exact number of shooters, the number of guns used and whether the suspects stole anything before leaving remained unclear. The New Orleans Police Department had not publicly named any suspects in the case.
The shooting happened in a residential part of Uptown where students, longtime residents and families live near the Tulane and Loyola University campuses. Neighbors told local reporters the gunfire was alarming because it began with what appeared to be a routine round of vehicle break-ins. The mannequin was meant to be a warning to anyone looking inside the truck, not part of a Halloween display. Michael Myers is the masked killer from the “Halloween” film series, and the owner’s setup placed the figure where a passenger might sit.
The case remained under investigation after the suspects left the scene. Police were expected to review any available surveillance video, witness statements and physical evidence from the block, including shell casings and bullet damage. No charges had been announced by Sunday, April 26. The police report information made public so far described the getaway car but did not identify a license plate, the people inside the car or a confirmed motive beyond suspected vehicle burglary.
The owner said the mannequin had been intended to make thieves move on from his pickup. After the shooting, he said he was reconsidering that plan. “Definitely not a good idea in hindsight,” he told WWL. Neighbors described the gunfire as chaotic and unusual, with one calling the episode “just crazy.” The damage left visible bullet holes in the truck and raised fresh concern about car break-ins escalating into gunfire on a quiet Uptown block.
As of Sunday, the damaged pickup, the struck vehicles and the home remained part of an open investigation. The next public milestone is any update from New Orleans police on arrests, suspect descriptions or recovered evidence tied to the silver Nissan Altima.
Author note: Last updated Sunday, April 26, 2026.