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Popular New Orleans Music Teacher Is Killed Trying to Protect His Daughter And Grandson, Police Say
“He was a kind-hearted person and he would do whatever you asked him to do,” a colleague of Brian Murray's said of his tragic death Monday. “That’s what hurts the most. Some kids won’t get to experience he was offering.”
A beloved New Orleans musician and teacher was shot to death Monday while trying to defend his daughter and young grandson.
Edmond Ramee Sr. was arrested in connection with the death of 60-year-old Brian Murray after police said a heated domestic argument between Ramee and Murray’s daughter turned deadly, according to an affidavit obtained by People.
Murray’s daughter and Ramee Sr.—who share a 1-year-old son, Edmond Ramee Jr., together—got into an argument at a home in Greta before Murray intervened and picked his daughter and grandson up from the home.
He brought his family members back to his own home in New Orleans, but police say Ramee followed them there and kicked in a glass screen door around 3:25 p.m. Monday, grabbing his son and fleeing the home.
He came back a short time later—still holding his son—and opened fire, according to the affidavit. Murray was struck and killed.
A witness, who wasn’t identified by police, managed to survive by hiding in a closet. The witness then climbed out a window and called 911.
The Louisiana State Police issued a Level II Endangered Missing Child Advisory a short time later for the missing baby, according to a statement from authorities.
Ramee turned himself into police several hours after the shooting and is facing charges of second-degree murder, Nola.com reports.
The baby was described by Louisiana State Police as being in “good condition.”
Ramee’s attorney, Lon Burns, told local station WDSU that his client was “extremely remorseful and saddened by the events that led to the death of his son’s grandfather.”
Murray was a talented trumpeter who had been honing his craft since the age of 14, according to his website. He received a bachelor’s degree in music performance from Xavier University and had a master’s degree in jazz studies from the University of New Orleans.
When he wasn’t performing throughout New Orleans, he was teaching at Jefferson Parish Public Schools and Ellis Marsalis School of Music.
Dr. Daryl Dickerson, who worked with Murray at Ellis Marsalis School of Music, described his friend to People as a “great guy” who was “great with kids.”
According to Dickerson, Murray once brought his students into a recording studio and had worked through the Jerome Murray Instrumental Music Foundation to try to musical instruments for kids in need so they could still learn to play.
“He was a kind-hearted person and he would do whatever you asked him to do,” Dickerson said. “That’s what hurts the most. Some kids won’t get to experience he was offering.”
It isn’t Ramee first brush with the law. He was arrested of domestic abuse battery, resisting arrest and battery of a police officer On Dec. 25, 2020, according to WDSU. He was also arrested in July for aggravated battery, negligent injury and domestic abuse of a child-endangerment.
He’s currently being held at the Orleans Justice Center, according to jail records.
