Trayford Pellerin's family held a press conference at their home Monday night in hopes of relaying an important message to the people in Lafayette.
"We don't want the looting. We don't want them tearing up of people's stores. That's not how you solve a problem," said Trayford's great aunt, Ethel Dugas.
The Pellerin family says they want justice for their loved one, but they want to do it in a way that Trayford would've wanted. While grieving, they're asking city officials to help send the right message.
"Let's respect Tray's name. When people speak of Tray, we don't want them to say yeah that's the one who tore the city now, no," said Lafayette Parish councilman Abraham Rubin.
The family is focusing their attention on showing the world how kind Trayford was as a person.
"Trayford wasn't a violent person, and he was a sweet person. He loved us, and we loved him," said Dugas.
The family's attorneys say Mayor-President Josh Guillory's initial statement was insensitive, and they will continue to press his office along with Lafayette police until Trayford gets justice.
“They want things to peaceful, we do to. You want respect for authority, we want to respect authority. But you have to meet us half way" said Attorney Ronald Haley.
