‘It’s locked and loaded’: Mother, Iraq veteran pulls gun on man trying to get into car

NEW ORLEANS — A mother and veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan said she had to do something she never dreamed of.
While stuck in traffic on Interstate 10 in New Orleans, she said someone tried to get in her car. So, her training kicked in and she pulled out a gun.

Charise Taylor said the incident happened while her 2-year-old son was in the car.

“You shouldn’t have to navigate your own city like a war zone. It’s un-American,” Taylor said. “The crime is out of control and it’s terrifying. At this point, having to use the same tactics in an American city that you use in Iraq and Afghanistan simply to navigate through the city it’s scary and I’m not the only mom feeling this way.”

Taylor said she was headed to pick up her husband on Friday.
She was stuck in gridlock traffic, she said a group in a truck motioned to her to get over. So, she let them. Next thing she knows a man comes up to her passenger door.

“So, as he comes up he’s close and he’s pretty aggressive trying to get the car door open makes eye contact with me he’s still trying to get it open a couple times,” Taylor said.

Taylor said she picked up her gun. “It’s locked and loaded,” she recalled saying. Taylor said she didn’t fire but was ready to. She said the man eventually ran off. Taylor said what also has her on edge is police classified the crime as a disturbance.

NOPD issued the following statement:

“The NOPD is actively investigating a disturbance that occurred on Interstate 10 West at the Canal Street exit on February 11, 2022 at about 5:20 p.m. The incident classification is based on the available information regarding the incident at the time the report was written. We do not have any additional information to provide this time.”

“The emotions honestly your body takes in a different form I stayed in my body of course but everything transformed I’m trained to do this I’ve gone to classes I’m prior military if I have to pull this trigger that’s what I have to do,” Taylor said.