A Louisiana National Guard soldier left his service rifle unattended in the bathroom of a Bourbon Street hotel Sunday night while on patrol in the French Quarter.
The soldier walked into the Lafitte Hotel at 1003 Bourbon Street to use the restroom and left behind his M4 carbine, which was found propped against a sink by a customer who entered after him, according to Nola.com. A photo of the weapon spread quickly on social media and drew thousands of reactions.
Lt. Col. Noel Collins, a Louisiana National Guard spokesperson, confirmed the incident in a statement.
"The rifle was returned to the Louisiana National Guard, and the Soldier and incident are being handled internally," Collins said.
The Guard did not identify the soldier or specify what disciplinary action he would face. It is unclear how long the rifle was left unattended before it was discovered.
Leaving a Weapon Unattended
While several military communities reacted with humor on social media, the incident drew concern from French Quarter residents and visitors who saw the photo circulating online.
"I kind of feel bad for him because that's one of the main rules of being in the Army, I would think, is you're always supposed to have your weapon in your hands and not in somebody else's," Nervous Dwayne, a French Quarter performer, told WWLTV.
Under Army regulations, losing accountability of a weapon is among the most serious offenses a soldier can commit. Depending on the circumstances, consequences can range from non-judicial punishment under Article 15 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice to a court-martial. At minimum, the soldier's chain of command will likely conduct a formal investigation under Army Regulation 15-6 to determine the facts of the incident.
The Louisiana National Guard did not respond to additional questions from Military.com regarding the circumstances of the incident or potential disciplinary action.
Heightened Security
The lapse comes at a sensitive time for the Guard's mission in New Orleans. About 350 Louisiana National Guard members have been deployed to the city since late December, patrolling the French Quarter and supporting the New Orleans Police Department during Mardi Gras season. The deployment was authorized by the Trump administration at Gov. Jeff Landry's request and is expected to last through the end of February.
The federal government designated Mardi Gras 2026 as a SEAR 1 event, its highest security classification. More than 20 partner agencies, including NOPD, Louisiana State Police and federal law enforcement, are involved in the security operation as parades roll through the city this week ahead of Fat Tuesday.
Guard troops armed with rifles have been a visible presence at intersections and checkpoints along Bourbon Street and parade routes since arriving last month. The deployment is partly in response to the Jan. 1, 2025, terrorist attack on Bourbon Street, in which a radicalized U.S. Army veteran drove a truck into a crowd of New Year's Eve revelers, killing 14 people and injuring dozens more.
The Political Debate
The rifle incident is likely to fuel ongoing debate over armed National Guard troops patrolling city streets. New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno has previously said she strongly opposes using the Guard for crime enforcement, and U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-Louisiana, warned last year against the presence of soldiers carrying rifles who are "untrained in the area of de-escalation."
Supporters of the deployment, including Landry, have argued the Guard provides a critical "force multiplier" for stretched local police departments.
The soldier has not been publicly identified, and it remains unclear whether civilian authorities will pursue separate charges.
The Lafitte Hotel did not immediately return a request for comment.
