LAFAYETTE — Locals are pleading to end gun violence after a shooting in Lafayette occurred on Sunday at the 500 block of Edison St.
A resident who wished to remain anonymous told KATC one of the victims was shot right in front of her home. Because of this, she said she was one of the first on the scene.
"That gentleman could've lost his life right there literally at my driveway where we come outside every day," she said. "And that's a thought that we're going to have to live with every day."
The community's youth are echoing this.
Aikillian Carmouche lives nearby and once he heard about the drive-by shooting, he told KATC he had a message for the people of not only Lafayette but Louisiana.
"Y'all just like killing for no reason and y'all need to put the guns down," Carmouche said. "Because guns don't solve everything, you just getting somebody hurt and then you gotta go live with that guilt."
The incident happened near St. Anthony Catholic Church. Pastor of the church, Father Richard Andrus, said he was working in his study between masses when he heard the police sirens. Andrus mentioned that many members of his congregation live in this area, so while this is nothing new, it still disturbs him.
"Unfortunately, we are killing our men, we are wounding our men," Andrus said. "Our streets run red with the blood of young men, of young black men, and we have got to find a solution to that."
Andrus also noted that this is a close-knit neighborhood, so he said somebody has to know something about who did this -- and to that somebody, he asks them to come forward.
"We've got to continue to work together, we've got to continue to make sure that these kinds of events don't happen."
According to a spokesperson from Lafayette Police Department, the investigation for this crime is still underway. Anyone with any information is asked to call Lafayette Crime Stoppers at 232-TIPS.
KATC will keep you updated with any further developments.
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