Police arrest man for smashing 41 car windows at Notre Dame Seminary

Story and photo by Peter Finney Jr.

New Orleans police today announced the arrest of one of the four alleged perpetrators in the early-morning Feb. 28 vandalism attack in which the windows of 41 cars parked at Notre Dame Seminary were smashed.

Police arrested Ma’Leik Ahmad Hundley, 18, in connection with multiple auto burglaries that occurred in the Second District.

Police said Hundley was positively identified as one of four perpetrators who committed several vehicle burglaries at the seminary.

Hundley was arrested in the Seventh District on unrelated charges. He was transported to the Orleans Parish Justice Center, where he was booked with 38 counts of simple burglary, 40 counts of criminal damage to property, two counts of trespassing, one count of attempted burglary and one count of conspiracy to commit burglary. The other three perpetrators remain at large.

Four vandals roamed through the campus of Notre Dame Seminary in the early-morning hours of Feb. 28 and in a 26-minute rampage smashed the windows of 41 cars, most of them owned by seminarians.

    Father James Wehner, rector-president of Notre Dame Seminary, said no one was injured during the vandalism at the campus, located on a busy thoroughfare at 2901 South Carrollton Ave.

    There were no reports of expensive items stolen from the seminarians’ cars. Many of the cars with shards of glass covering the seats had rosaries hanging from the rear-view mirror and saints’ prayer cards on the dashboard.

    “There were some minor things (stolen) such as holy water bottles, phone chargers and a few books,” Father Wehner said.

Getaway car found

    Police were able to locate the getaway car over the weekend and found several items strewn inside the car – a crucifix and two pyx, which are used to transport the Eucharist to others. 

    Security camera footage shows the perpetrators driving up in a car to the semicircular parking area in front of the seminary’s main building at approximately 4:45 a.m.

    Father Wehner said the vandals first hit 13 cars parked in that location and then drove around the campus to Fig Street, where they jumped a 6-foot fence to gain access to a side parking lot and smashed the windows of an additional 28 cars. In total, the cars of 36 seminarians and five priests, two of them visiting from other dioceses, were damaged. 

    The two out-of-town priests whose cars were hit were Father Patrick Riviere, a 2019 alumnus of Notre Dame Seminary and a priest of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, and Father Joshua Neu, the director of vocations for the Diocese of Tyler (Texas). Father Riviere was in town to give a lecture on discernment to second-year seminarians, and Father Neu was visiting seminarians from his diocese.

    Father Wehner said the surveillance camera footage, which was turned over to police, indicated there were four perpetrators. The attack began at approximately 4:45 a.m. and ended at 5:11 a.m.

Hammer used in attack

    A steel-pronged hammer with a red rubber grip was found lying in the parking lot next to the car that was among the last to be hit, Father Wehner said.

    Father Wehner was exercising in the seminary gymnasium at the time of the vandalism, but he said no one heard the windows being smashed.

    “But some of the seminarians did hear a couple of car alarms going off,” Father Wehner said. “That went on for about a half-hour.”

    Father Kurt Young, a faculty member of Notre Dame Seminary, said this was the second time his car window had been smashed in less than two months in his regular parking spot to the left of the main seminary building.

    “The first time it was the driver’s side front, and now it’s the passenger side front, so at least they balanced it out for me,” Father Young said.

    Father Wehner estimated the window repair costs at $8,000. The Louisiana Knights of Columbus have begun a fundraising drive, and other individuals have called the seminary to offer financial contributions.

    Father Wehner said this was the broadest attack on property at the seminary in recent years. Last summer, a person was arrested for stealing seminarians’ bicycles.

    “We are reviewing our security measures,” Father Wehner said. “However, cameras were working and the fencing was locked up. They jumped over the fence. Not sure what else we can do about that situation.”

    Normally, all the seminarians park their cars in the fenced area to the rear of the main building, but Father Wehner said heavy enrollment has required some to park at night in an open area in front of the seminary.

    “This year, we’re completely filled back there,” he said.

    One seminarian looked at the bright side – his left front window was smashed but fell forward onto the pavement.

    “They were nice enough not to get the glass inside my car,” he said.

    Anyone interested in helping the seminary defray costs not covered by insurance can call the seminary at (504) 866-7426.

Police asked anyone with any additional information regarding the incident to notify Second District detectives at (504) 658-6020. Citizens with information that can help solve a crime are asked to call Crimestoppers at (504) 822-1111 or toll-free at 1-877-903-STOP.

    Peter Finney Jr. can be reached at pfinney@clarionherald.org.