Categories: U.S.

New Orleans Parish assistant DA dies by apparent suicide in office: report

close Video

WATCH LIVE: Officials give update after fugitive who allegedly killed judge found dead

The 49-year-old’s body was found in a heavily wooded area.

This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Ian Kersting, the assistant attorney general of a New Orleans Parish, was found dead by apparent suicide in his office, police said.

The 34-year-old was found with “apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds” at his office, the New Orleans Police Department confirmed to WVUE-DT. His body was found by police around 9 p.m. on Saturday at the District Attorney’s Office.

New Orleans EMS arrived, but he was pronounced dead at the scene, police confirmed to the outlet.

Fox News Digital reached out to the New Orleans Police Department for comment.

FEDS REVEAL CHILLING NEW TIMELINE OF HOW MANIAC TERRORIST SCOPED OUT NEW ORLEANS KILL ZONE

Ian Kersting, the assistant attorney general of a New Orleans Parish, died of “apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds.” (New Orleans District Attorney’s Office)

Kersting, 34, was admitted to the Louisiana bar in October 2020. 

NEW ORLEANS HOLDS VIGIL TO MOURN VICTIMS OF BOURBON STREET TERROR ATTACK: ‘AN OUTPOURING OF LOVE’

He was tasked in the District Attorney’s Office as a specialist in sexual harassment cases and was assigned to the office’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI). The initiative worked in tandem with the New Orleans Police Department by investigating and prosecuting sex crimes while using recovered DNA evidence.

New Orleans Police Department car. (NOPD)

Following his death, the New Orleans District Attorney’s Office released a statement mourning the loss of a “beloved member” of the office.

“The Orleans Parish DA’s Office family suffered a terrible tragedy Saturday night,” the statement said. “Assistant District Attorney Ian Kersting was a beloved member of our office, and we send our love and deepest condolences to his family.”

“It’s important that we support each other right now, and we ask the media respect the privacy of the individuals impacted,” the statement said.

A memorial for the victims of the New Orleans New Years’ attack on Jan. 1, 2025. (Audrey Conklin/Fox News Digital)

Kersting’s death happened just days after a terrorist attack rocked the city in the early hours of New Year’s Day, leaving 14 victims dead and dozens injured.

Shamsud-Din Jabbar, an Army veteran from Houston, plowed a rented Ford pickup through a crowd of Bourbon Street revelers in the attack that officials say was inspired by the Islamic State.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The FBI recovered a black ISIS flag from the rented truck and found that Jabbar pledged allegiance to ISIS in online videos posted hours before the attack.

Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.

Sarah Rumpf-Whitten is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. 

Story tips and ideas can be sent to sarah.rumpf@fox.com and on X: @s_rumpfwhitten.

Related Topics

  • New Orleans
  • Louisiana
  • Police and Law Enforcement
  • US
Share

Recent Posts

Teen’s medical invention saves lives in seconds

What if stopping life-threatening bleeding could be as simple as injecting a gel? That's the…

2 hours ago

Don’t use your home Wi-Fi before fixing certain security risks

Home Wi-Fi networks are the backbone of how most people get online, connecting laptops, phones,…

20 hours ago

Navy solar drone soars nonstop for 3 days

The Navy, working with Skydweller Aero, just reached a major milestone in clean-energy aviation. Its…

1 day ago

Moving exposes your personal data to scammers

Downsizing should feel like a fresh start. A smaller home, less upkeep, maybe even a…

2 days ago

AI video tech fast-tracks humanoid robot training

One of the biggest hurdles in developing humanoid robots is the sheer amount of training…

2 days ago

10 ways to secure your older Mac from threats and malware

Apple's Mac computers are generally considered more secure than Windows PCs, thanks to the company's…

3 days ago