A Carencro man has been arrested on a weapons charge following a fatal shooting on the Fourth of July.
Last week, we reported that a teen, identified by his relatives as Benorian Leonard, 18, was fatally shot that evening on Lindsey Circle. This week, the LPSO confirmed his identity.
Today, we received a response to our public records request to the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office.
In those documents, we learned that the man accused of shooting Leonard, Darren Vicknair, 53, alleges that he did so in defense of his family.
According to the arrest affidavit, Leonard walked from a house on Lindsey Circle to Vicknair’s home there, carrying a shotgun. He allegedly refused to leave, and made threats that he was going to shoot everyone there. He then allegedly cocked the shotgun and pointed it at Vicknair’s daughter and her friend, the affidavit states. Vicknair fired three rounds at Leonard, striking him in the arm and in the chest, the affidavit states.
During the investigation, deputies learned that Vicknair had been convicted of a felony hydrocodone charge back in 2012, and thus he was not supposed to have a weapon. He was arrested and booked with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He posted $25,000 bond and has been released.
We will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.
