DA Hillar Moore: Record violence in East Baton Rouge Parish unacceptable

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Many families in the baton rouge community are heading into the holidays without a loved one.

2021 has been a year marked by devastating violence and death. More people have been murdered in the parish than any other year on record.

“We were just trying to raise our kids and live our life and for it to be taken away, it’s heartbreaking,” said Tiffany Williams.

Williams’ husband, 35-year-old Lewis “LJ” Williams was gunned down inside a barbershop on Feb. 18th earlier this year.

“Unfortunately, wrong place at the wrong time,” Williams said. “Paying customer, guy cracks open the door and just starts shooting into the barber shop for absolutely no reason.”

The smiling face she remembers her husband by was taken away from her and her two young children.

“He didn’t live like the life where he was on the streets, he wasn’t a drug dealer, he wasn’t a street guy, he was a family man and to know you can’t even go into a barber shop and get a haircut in Baton Rouge without coming home to your kids and your family is absolutely ridiculous,” she said.

East Baton Rouge District Attorney said the violence plaguing the community is unacceptable, saying more needs to be done to reach the communities most affected by the bloodshed.

“If we’re able to really focus more money and effort, and time into these people and these places, we could potentially have a good impact,” Moore said.

According to the District Attorney’s office most crime can be traced by to the 70802,70805, and 70806 area codes. Moore said alarmingly, the violent crime in these areas is increasingly being committed by youth. He said currently there is not enough man power, police, or resources to pour into those areas to prevent juveniles from joining gangs becoming involved with drugs.

For Williams, though, even if resources were pouring into those areas, she does not believe it will stop the violence, saying people simply do not care and violence has become the norm.

“Just have empathy because at the end of the day it can happen to you,” Williams said.

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