3-14-22
THE VICTIM OF AN ALLEGED ARMED ABDUCTION HAS BEEN LOCATED AND IS BEING INTERVIEWED BY INVESTIGATORS. SYLVIA MASTERS REPORTS.
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TWO PEOPLE ARRIVED AT A LAFAYETTE HOSPITAL LATE SATURDAY NIGHT WITH GUNSHOT WOUNDS. POLICE DETERMINED THAT THEY WERE SHOT IN THE ONE HUNDRED BLOCK OF SOUTH BUCHANAN STREET. THE SHOOTING IS UNDER INVESTIGATION. THEY ASK ANYONE WHO HAS INFORMATION TO CALL LAFAYETTE CRIME STOPPERS AT TWO-THREE-TWO-TIPS.
Louisiana’s Legislature opens its 2022 regular session today and lawmakers will deal with a welcome dilemma: how to deal with an influx of cash the likes of which the state hasn’t seen in years. There will also be familiar “culture war” issues involving transgender athletes, race, vaccine mandates and abortion. The Republican-dominated Legislature also will be faced with unresolved business from the February special session on government redistricting. That’s due to the veto of a new congressional map by Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards.
PARENTS AND STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN A SUICIDE AWARENESS WALK IN LAKE CHARLES AFTER THE SUICIDE LAST WEEK OF FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD JOSHUA BOREL, WHO ATTENDED SAM HOUSTON HIGH SCHOOL. ORGANIZER JANINE JOHNSON NOTED THERE HAVE BEEN SEVEN SUICIDES IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS AND SHE SAYS THE SCHOOL BOARD IS SWEEPING THE PROBLEM UNDER THE RUG. SOME PARTICIPANTS TOLD KPLC TV THAT SOME OF THOSE WHO COMMITTED SUICIDE WERE VICTIMS OF BULLYING. THE FATHER OF JOSHUA SAYS IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL THING TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY COME OUT AND SHOW SUPPORT TO HIS SON AND OTHER KIDS WHO COMMITTED SUICIDE.
FOUR PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY OPERATING A MASSIVE THEFT RING IN SOUTH LOUISIANA. THE INVESTIGATION BEGAN IN LIVINGSTON PARISH BUT THEN ACADIA PARISH SHERIF K-P GIBSON SAID THEY ALSO IDENTIFIED VICTIMS OF THE THEFT RING. THE SUSPECTS ARE ACCUSED OF STEALING HEAVY EQUIPMENT, FARM EQUIPMENT AND TRUCKS AND THEN RESELLING THEM TO UNSUSPECTING VICTIMS. OTHER AGENCIES TYING THEIR CASES TO THE THEFT RING INCLUDE THE BROUSSARD AND LAFAYETTE POLICE DEPARTMENTS, AND THE SHERIFF’S OFFICES IN SAINT LANDRY, VERMILLION, LAFAYETTE AND SAINT MARTIN PARISHES.
LAFAYETTE PARISH HAS SEEN A SHARP INCREASE IN OVERDOSE DEATHS OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, MOSTLY ATTRIBUTED TO OPIODS AND FENTANYL. A RECENTLY FINALIZED REPORT BY THE LAFAYETTE PARISH CORONER’S OFFICE SHOWS ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-SIX OVERDOSES IN TWENTY-TWENTY-ONE, COMPARED TO FORTY-SIX DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS IN TWENTY-SEVENTEEN. THERE WERE ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-TWO FATAL OVERDOSES DUE TO OPIODS, A THREE HUNDRED EIGHTY-EIGHT PERCENT INCREASE COMPARED TO TWENTY-SEVENTEEN. ONE HUNDRED TWO OF THE OVERDOSES IN LAFAYETTE PARISH INVOLVED THE HIGHLY POTENT SYNTHETIC OPIOID FENTANYL, WHICH IS TWENTY TIMES HIGHER THAN IN TWENTY-SEVENTEEN.
The Louisiana State Police have hired an outside consultant to conduct a top-to-bottom review of the scandal-plagued agency. Col. Lamar Davis said Friday the “overall assessment” will include an in-depth review of body-worn camera video and policies governing training, hiring and use of force. The potentially years-long process is intended to help restore public trust following a string of high-profile beatings of Black motorists. Davis did not immediately provide financial terms of the deal but described it as an “emergency request.”
A PEDESTRIAN IN ACADIA PARISH WAS KILLED LAST WEEK WHEN SHE WAS HIT BY A VEHICLE. ACADIA PARISH SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES SAID IT HAPPENED WEDNESDAY WHEN JENNY OSORIO WAS WALKING ON SOUTH RICELAND DRIVE. DEPUTIES SAY OSORIO WAS WEARING DARK CLOTHING AND IT HAPPENED IN A NARROW SECTION OF THE ROAD WITH NO SHOULDER. DEPUTIES SAY THE DRIVER STAYED AT THE SCENE WHERE OSORIO WAS HIT.
