YOUNGSVILLE, La. — A fatal shooting in Baton Rouge that left five people injured and one dead is sending shockwaves through Youngsville and the greater Acadiana area, after it was revealed that three of the victims were students at Ascension Episcopal School. One of them, senior Martha Odom, was killed.
“Sadness… anger as well… there’s no reason for that kind of thing to go on,” said Kathy McDonald, a Youngsville resident who lives on a street so close you can see the school from it. For Kathy, the tragedy feels all the more personal because of her close proximity.
“This is a really good community to live in — I call it a neighborhood, not a subdivision, because we’re not divided,” McDonald said. “We've just seen the kids grow up that go over to Ascension, and the families, we've been friends with the families.”
The shooting brought back painful memories of the 2015 Lafayette movie theater shooting, a tragedy that claimed three lives. “It's here — we think of that being someplace else, but it's here, it's here in our world and it's sad…disappointing…” McDonald reflected.
Despite the grief, McDonald says the community is coming together to support the families impacted by the shooting. “Just a sadness… that something could happen like that so close,” she said, noting that neighbors have been checking in and offering support during this difficult time.
As the Youngsville community grieves, McDonald and others say the tragedy serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of standing together and lifting up those affected by senseless violence.
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