On October 19, 2020 at approximately 12:51 PM, officers with the Mamou Police Department, Assistant Chief Drew Fruge, Lieutenant Collin Deville, Patrolman Cory Benoit and Patrolman Hannah LaFleur were dispatched to the area of Balfa Brother’s Road, and Rue Jolie Blonde in reference to a shots fired complaint. Multiple calls were made to the police department regarding this instance while officers responded. Once on scene, officers split up and scanned the area for a group of juveniles, and one adult described by multiple eyewitnesses to be a group consisting of two black males and one white male. Patrolman LaFleur intercepted the group on Willow St. and initiated contact with them in reference to the incident. The group was initially compliant until Lieutenant Deville attempted to detain one subject who was refusing to identify. A brief struggle ensued with officers, and all three subjects were safely detained. Once the subjects were identified, parents were contacted on behalf of the juveniles. The adult, Gabe Freeman of Ville Platte was mirandized by officers. All subjects were transported to the Mamou Police Department for questioning. Once concerned parents were contacted, one juvenile was initially released. One juvenile and Freeman were questioned by Lieutenant Deville, and Patrolman LaFleur while officers scanned the area for the scene of the shooting. Witnesses identified a residence on the 200 block of Balfa Brothers road to be the scene, and multiple juvenile witnesses were interviewed. One spent nine-millimeter bullet and two unspent bullets were recovered from the scene. Witnesses identified a black juvenile suspect, by name, to have accompanied Freeman while he fired a round at a pair of juveniles. The juvenile and Freeman, accompanied by another juvenile fled the scene once the round was fired, and it is alleged that the firearm was abandoned in a ditch near the 800 block of Redwood St. Further questioning of eyewitnesses lead to a residence at the 800 block of Redwood St where it where Lieutenant Deville and Patrolman Benoit were able to recover the firearm underneath a small shed. The firearm was recovered with an extended magazine, and 17 rounds of ammunition. The firearm matched the caliber of the spent casings recovered from the scene and was secured and logged as evidence at the Mamou Police Department. Freeman was unanimously identified as the shooter of the weapon. Once at the department Assistant Chief Fruge, and Lieutenant Deville verified the weapon through a database, confirming the weapon to have been stolen through Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office. Further investigation leads officers to believe that this incident had started as a verbal altercation between two groups of juveniles, leading to one to request the help of his friends. This led to the shooting incident to occur in retaliation. With all the evidence compiled, Gabe Freeman is facing two counts of Attempted Second Degree Murder, one count of illegal carrying of a firearm, one count illegal discharge of a firearm, and one count of possession of a stolen firearm. The juvenile identified to be the accomplice was charged with one count of principle to attempted second degree murder, and one count of resisting an officer.
Chief Brent Zackery would like to let everyone know these kind of actions will not be tolerated in this town. I do not care who you are and I do not care who you know. You will be charged to fullest extent of the law. There is crime all over the world and in every town you can’t stop it all and we aren’t perfect but Mamou is a peaceful town to live in and I intend to keep it that way.
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