The project lay south of the Central City in the lower Garden District area.

In 1982 Helen Prejean moved into the St. Thomas development in order to live and work with the poor.

"[2] Initially the original site of the Irish Channel, bordered by Tchoupitoulas and St. Charles, between Felicity and Phillip streets, St. Thomas Development was one of the oldest housing projects of New Orleans.

Also, a new Wal-Mart superstore was constructed on long-vacant property one block south of the project site.

HRI, the developer, initially built approximately one-third of the planned number of single-family homes.

The bullet was not intended for the children, and hit the girl's shoulder while she played in a courtyard during a birthday party.

[10][11] On the morning of October 23, 1992 4-year old Eric Boyd was struck by a stray bullet in a courtyard in the St. Thomas Project.

According to police, Boyd was stepping outside to walk to preschool when gunfire erupted in front of him in the courtyard.

As the 4-year-old's family yelled for him to duck inside, a stray bullet pierced the wooden door frame and struck Eric in the chest.