LAFAYETTE, La. — The family of a Lafayette woman is urging others to speak out against domestic violence as she recovers from a shooting that police say was perpetrated by her partner, who then took his own life.
“Taking it one day at a time… and trusting in God,” said the woman’s family, who described her as respectful, hardworking, and deeply devoted to her child.
The couple shared a one-year-old son. Relatives of Kevin LeBlanc, the deceased, said he was a “fun loving” and “caring” man, and “a great father.”
According to the Lafayette Police Department, the preliminary investigation indicates the shooting stemmed from a domestic dispute. Kevin’s cousin, Devon Norman, said there were warning signs leading up to the tragedy.
“His mom urged him to leave the relationship and he did. And it's not to put blame on anyone because none of us know other than what his family saw from him what happened in that household,” Norman said.
The victim’s family said they were blindsided by the violence. “We didn't know, cause if I would have known… I would've told her, 'Get out,'” her relatives said. “That's probably the worst part, the worst case scenario – that she was holding it all in and she didn't want none of us to know about it.”
Data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics shows that about half of domestic violence incidents are never reported to police — a fact both families now hope to change.
“Love doesn't hit, it doesn't hurt. And so if it does, listen to your parents, listen to the elders in your family, listen to those people who are telling you, 'Baby, this is a toxic situation. Go,'” Norman advised.
“Please leave. You don't have to go through that… And speak up. Speak up. You have to. You have to,” the victim’s family added.
Both families — now coping with the aftermath — say they hope their story will encourage others to recognize warning signs, seek help, and avoid suffering in silence.
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