National Guard soldier leaves rifle in New Orleans bathroom

A Louisiana National Guard soldier left his service rifle inside a Bourbon Street bathroom in New Orleans’ French Quarter, where he had been on patrol, CBS affiliate WWL reported, citing a National Guard spokesperson who confirmed the incident.

“The weapon was returned to the Louisiana National Guard, and the soldier and incident are being handled internally,” said Lt. Col. Noel Collins. 

The weapon appeared in a photo that surfaced on social media, which showed an AR-15 rifle leaning against a sink, according to WWL. It was taken inside the Lafitte Hotel on Bourbon Street, at the center of the French Quarter, after a guardsman used the bathroom on Sunday night.

CBS News has reached out to the Louisiana National Guard for more information.

The guardsman who left his rifle behind is among the 350 soldiers who were deployed to New Orleans by the Trump administration at the end of December. Under the command of Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, they have supported federal and local law enforcement in the city since just after Christmas and are expected to remain there through the end of February, according to the Louisiana National Guard. Their arrival came one year after a terror attack during a New Year’s Eve celebration on Bourbon Street killed 14 people.

Local residents said they were concerned when they saw the photo of the guardsman’s rifle. Bob Simms, who lives in the French Quarter and co-founded a neighborhood task force that aims to reduce crime and increase security in the area, called it an unfortunate mistake.

“These guardsmen are here for an extended period of time and they’re working many, many hours a day,” Simms told WWL. “So, it’s a mistake. It’s a pity it happened but mistakes happen.”