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The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a disturbance at a Walmart in Lake Charles, Louisiana, on Saturday night, Jan. 23, 2021, involving female juveniles.
Deputies arrived on the scene at around 7:30 p.m. to find a fight between the girls erupted inside the Walmart on Highway 14. The victim was taken to the hospital and later died.
The assailants were booked into the Calcasieu Parish Juvenile Detention Center.
Sheriff Tony Mancuso held a press conference about the fatal stabbing of a 15-year-old and the arrest of four girls between the ages of 12 and 14, on Sunday, January 24.
Sheriff Mancuso Announces Strict Curfew Enforcement After Walmart Slaying
Mancuso’s words spoke volumes about his distress over this senseless murder at the Walmart. He said the knives used in the attack were allegedly stolen at the Walmart where the crime occurred. The sheriff said the entire event was recorded on social media, video, photos, and posts that he found “very disturbing.”
We have a problem in our community we’re going to have to address. It’s just heartbreaking when we have to come in and pick up the pieces because so many families are damaged.
Notably, the Walmart slaying is the third homicide involving juveniles under 16 years of age in the past six months.
Sheriff Mancuso said these crimes are not isolated racially, as they have been committed by members of all races and backgrounds. He further stated there is a problem with children having access to weapons.
He implored parents to aware of their children’s movements on social media pointing back to the slaying of the 15-year-old girl at Walmart this past Saturday. It is imperative that parents know what their kids are posting and the content they view.
Not being tech-savvy is no excuse, the sheriff accused. He said they had better learn.
The sheriff announced all law enforcement in Calcasieu Parish will aggressively enforce curfews as outlined in local and state laws.
He added this is not only the responsibility of the police — parents and other adults must be involved with the enforcement as well.
Police throughout the parish are instructed to have a zero-tolerance policy on curfew. Violators will be dealt with as the law provides.
All individuals 16 and under must be at home or under the supervision of an adult between 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. CT. on weekdays, 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. on weekends.
“There’s just really no good reason for a minor to be roaming about the streets after 11 o’clock at night. Nothing good is going to come of that,” as Commander Gene Pittman stated during the summer of 2019 when crime among juvenile-crime was on the rise in the parish.
Because of their ages, the names of the girls involved in the Walmart murder and that of the victim have not been released.
Written by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
Newsweek: Four Girls Arrested After 15-Year-Old Stabbed to Death Inside Walmart; by Khaleda Rahman
CBS News: 4 girls arrested after 15-year-old girl dies following fight, stabbing inside Walmart; by Dionne Johnson
KCAT3: UPDATE on teen death: Sheriff says “we have to get control of our kids”
KPLC7: Juvenile crime increase as summer gets underway, sheriff’s office reminds public of curfew; by Luke Burdsall
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Mike Mozart’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Scott Davidson’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
