Over the past 12 hours, NOPD officers on proactive patrol in the Eighth District have made four arrests that helped to remove four illegally possessed handguns from the city streets.

The arrests include the following:

• At about 10:45 p.m. on November 25, detectives in plain clothes in the 100 block of Royal Street observed an individual – later identified as Jamal Falls (DOB: 01-12-1987)  – allegedly rolling a cigar with marijuana. The detectives approached Falls, who then reportedly attempted to destroy the cigar. A pat-down search of Falls resulted in the discovery of a black semi-automatic pistol in Falls’ right rear pocket. The detectives arrested Falls and booked him into Central Lockup on a charge of felon in possession of a firearm, as well as on a marijuana possession charge.

• At about 12:15 a.m. on November 26, detectives in plain clothes were patrolling in the 700 block of Canal Street when they discovered an individual, later identified as Ty’aaron Robinson (DOB 08-28-1994) placing an unknown vegetable matter believed to be marijuana into a partially split cigar. The detectives conducted a narcotics investigation, at which time Robinson threw the cigar to the ground. A pat-down search revealed Robinson to be in possession of a silver handgun in his waistband as well as an orange pill bottle containing four clear plastic bags of a vegetative substance in Robinson’s jacket pocket. Robinson was placed under arrest and booked into Central Lockup on charges of illegal carrying of a weapon while in possession of narcotics, possession of a Schedule I CDS (marijuana) with intent to distribute and illegal carrying of a weapon.

• At about 12:15 a.m. on November 26, Eighth District detectives in plain clothes in the 700 block of Canal Street noticed an individual walking in the 500 block of Bourbon Street. The individual, later identified as Zavier Rogers (DOB: 11/28/1990) was walking toward the detectives with his right hand grasping the waistband of his jeans. When Rogers released the waistband to pull up his pants, the detectives observed a bulge causing Rogers’ pants to protrude out and the waistband to drop, as if supporting a heavy object. As Rogers repositioned his hand, he formed a fist, as if grabbing the handle of a gun. As detectives approached Rogers, they observed what appeared to be the handle of a pistol in Rogers’ waistband. The detectives detained Rogers and conducted a search, uncovering a loaded handgun in Rogers’ possession. Rogers was placed under arrest and booked into Central Lockup on a charge of illegal carrying of a weapon.

• At about 2:30 a.m., NOPD officers responded to a report from a concerned citizen of an illegal carrying of a concealed gun in the 700 block of Bourbon Street. The citizen told police that a man wearing an orange shirt and hat was in possession of a gun. Officers found a male subject in the area matching the description and stopped him for questioning. Conducting a pat-down search on the subject, later identified as Alton Whittey (DOB: 08-31-1991), officers discovered a handgun concealed in Whittey’s pants pocket and also discovered a clear plastic bag containing a vegetative substance found to be marijuana from Whittey’s pocket. Whittey was booked into Central Lockup on charges of illegal carrying of a weapon, possession of marijuana and illegal carrying of a weapon while in possession of a narcotic.