Dinerral Shavers

Who was Dinerral Shavers?

Dinerral "Dick" Shavers was a jazz drummer and educator from New Orleans, Louisiana.

Shavers was best known musically as a founding member of the Hot 8 Brass Band. He also taught at a local high school and created music programs for poor local youths.

He appeared in the Spike Lee film When the Levees Broke discussing the devastation of his family home in the Lower 9th Ward.

According to the Times-Picayune:

Dinerral Shavers, 25, died from a gunshot to the back of his head at about 5:30 p.m. while behind the wheel of his black Chevrolet Malibu in the 2200 block of Dumaine Street… His family was not injured… Although critically wounded, Shavers continued driving four blocks up Dumaine before stopping. By 6 p.m., Shavers lay motionless on his back in the middle of the street just outside the open driver's side door… Shavers was taken to a hospital, but died within an hour.

It was later revealed in the Times-Picayune that he was not the intended target. New Orleans Police said the teenager who shot him actually meant to kill Shavers' 15-year-old stepson in a dispute stemming from a neighborhood feud.