Mother of man killed in New Orleans East thanks Good Samaritan for closure

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) -A mother of a New Orleans East man shot and killed two weeks ago is giving thanks to a good Samaritan who helped give her a moment of closure.

Two weeks ago Isaac Brooks was driving down Trapier Avenue when he saw something bizarre.

“I was running down here when I got right here he was waving lying on the ground waving telling me to help,” said Brooks.

Brooks pulled over and found 26-year-old Derell Brooks (no relation) bleeding from gunshot wounds

Derell told Isaac that he had been robbed and shot and as he lay dying on the side of the road he had one wish.

“He was laying there asking me to call his mother,” said Isaac.

“He was trying to tell me the number and I couldn’t understand and I put the phone by him and he dialed it,” said Isaac.

“He called me and said is this Miss Shantel, He said your son Derrell got shot,” said Shantel Mitchell, Derell’s mother.

Shantel was only able to hear her son struggle for breath on the phone.

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Derell Brooks was pronounced dead a few hours later after being rushed to University Hospital. Yet Shantel is grateful for the brief phone connection made possible by a stranger, as Derell lay dying.

“I appreciated it a lot I really do, he actually call me back that night to check on him,” said Mitchell.

Ironically, Isaac Brooks had the same last name. As the man, he tried to help.

“I didn’t know that until a few minutes ago, I didn’t even know he could not talk,” said Isaac.

“He just told me come here his arm was doing this, he couldn’t talk too well because he was in a lot of pain. A lot of people might not have stopped but I’m always helping somebody and maybe somebody will help me,” said Isaac.

Derell Brooks’ mother left for Texas a couple of years ago but Derell stayed here and his mother says she worried about her son’s safety and the city’s crime.

“I was always talking to him saying please stay out of those boys’ way. Be careful I know how bad that city is,” said Shantel.

Brooks had formally worked for Amazon and was trying to get a job with the port of New Orleans at the time of a shooting death, for which no one has been held accountable.

“I really wish they would say something, speak up about it and stop with all the foolishness, life is valuable, it is meaningful,” said Shantel.

And she can’t believe her son fell victim to more senseless violence.

The New Orleans Police Department says there are no updates at this time regarding this active and ongoing investigation. Anyone with additional information is asked to call Crimestoppers Or NOPD homicide detective Nikolas Davis at 504-658-5300

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