Police: Accidental shots fired at downtown Lafayette protest
LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) After multiple people who are in attendance at the downtown rally and protest reported hearing shots fired, KLFY has confirmed with the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office that a protest attendee, not associated with NFAC, had an accidental discharge of a handgun.
"No one hit, and no injuries were reported, Public Information Officer John Mowell said in a social media post.
26-year-old Terrance Jones of Lafayette has been charged with reckless discharge of a firearm at a parade or demonstration, 3-cts possession of a firearm, one count simple escape, 1-ct. illegal use of weapons and 4 counts fugitive, booking records show.
Mowell said the shot was fired at Parc Sans Souci.
"The protest has been peaceful for the most part with only one person arrested so far," State Police said.
NFAC, a black militia group based out of Atlanta, is in town following the police shooting death of Tryeford Pellerin.
The commander of the NFAC, John Jay Fitzgerald Johnson, stated another reason his men are in Lafayette is to get a public apology from Congressman Higgins who posted on Facebook and warned an armed presence would be a “one way ticket” and he’d “drop any 10” where they stand.