Residents of a New Orleans East neighborhood keep stopping by Bruce Reed’s home on MacKenzie Street, first to ask if Reed could again lend his handyman skills or lawn-care expertise—and later, as news spread of Reed’s shooting death, to express their condolences for the loss of a neighborhood mainstay.

The 61-year-old Reed, known as “Mr. Red” to his neighbors, had for decades served as informal guardian of the MacKenzie Street area, according to Reed’s sister, Biddy Reed.

A self-employed handyman and landscaper with a knack for invention, Bruce Reed could often be found outside of his home, working on projects and keeping watch.

“He was the caretaker of the street—he (was) always in his front yard,” Biddy Reed said. “He was committed to looking out for his neighbors and their property.”

Bruce Reed’s watch over the area ended June 6, when he was fatally shot a block from his home by a gunman who, according to authorities, was killing people at random.

4 dead after man picked targets ‘at random,' JPSO Sheriff says

Sean Barrette, 22, of Metairie was arrested Tuesday on murder charges following a SWAT roll at his home, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office said. Barrette picked his targets “at random,” as part of a “murderous rage” that left Reed and three other men dead between June 6 and June 17, according to Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joseph Lopinto. The other three victims were killed this week in two shootings on West Metairie Avenue.

Prior to Barrette’s arrest, Biddy Reed said she had no idea why anyone would kill her brother.

“I really don’t know,” she said last week.

Now, she and other family members are struggling to understand why someone would murder at random.

“It’s just a testament to how some people just don’t value life. I was really shocked,” Biddy Reed said Wednesday evening. “It’s heartbreaking.”

Bruce Reed’s death has left his neighborhood stunned, she said.

He was shot shortly after 9 p.m. on a Thursday, while walking to his friend’s home a block over from his on Marquis Street. Police found him wounded and unresponsive in a grassy area at Marquis Street and Hayne Boulevard, according to the NOPD.

Man killed in shooting on Hayne Boulevard in New Orleans East: NOPD

Neighbors are in disbelief, Biddy Reed said, shaken by the random, violent death of a man who made others feel safer.

“Now you’re apprehensive just to go outside your house at night. Now you don’t feel safe; it really diminishes your quality of life,” she said.

A lifelong New Orleans resident, Bruce Reed grew up in the Uptown area but moved to MacKenzie Street in the late 1980s and has lived there since—the only exception being a temporary move to Mississippi in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Biddy Reed said.

He attended Alcee Fortier High School and then earned certifications in automotive work and welding. He also worked as a plumber's assistant before venturing into handyman work and landscaping, regularly helping Biddy Reed with her rental properties and helping his neighborhood’s elderly free of charge.

“Bruce was proud of being an expert lawn guy (he could make a weed eater work wonders),” his obituary reads.

He had three children and a number of grandchildren, nieces and nephews “to whom he frequently imparted life lessons and real-world smarts,” according to his obituary.

Biddy Reed’s 26-year-old son, nicknamed “Criky,” remembers childhood trips from California to New Orleans, where he and his uncle would go catch bugs—the biggest bugs he’d ever seen.

“Uncle Bruce told me bugs only grow this big in Louisiana,” Criky remembers. “Uncle Bruce also taught me to be aware of my environment and to always make sure to watch over my mom and sister at all times.”

Bruce Reed also influenced younger residents in the neighborhood, advising them to work hard and avoid criminal activity, Biddy Reed said.

“Bruce had a quick wit that would keep you in stitches and straighten you out when you were wrong,” his obituary reads.

In his spare time, Bruce Reed liked tinkering with his car and inventing gadgets; for example, he crafted a detachable umbrella gadget to keep him cool while working outside, Biddy Reed said.

He also enjoyed fishing in New Orleans East canals and was an active member of The Men of God’s Garden, a church just blocks from his home.

“He wanted to leave a legacy of good works,” his sister said.

Bruce Reed’s funeral is set for Saturday morning at Morning Star Baptist Church in Raceland, a church founded by one of his ancestors. He will be buried in the church cemetery, among family members.

Staff Writer Emily Lane contributed to this report.