Losing sleep hiding from bullets: Gun violence taking heavy toll on Abbeville residents
ABBEVILLE, La. (KLFY) A shooting last night in Abbeville has one neighborhood wanting gun violence to stop.
The latest shooting happened near Maude and Schlesinger Streets.
Many residents there say they are awaken often by gunshots followed by police sirens.
"Me and my son, we all hit the ground in the house. It sounded like it was inside of my house," a resident who wants to remain anonymous said.
Many say they want the gun violence to stop.
"They're scared. People just don't want to live like this no more," Earl Harris said.
"Abbeville has got to be a sad place to live, I must say for all of this gun violence."
Residents feel more action needs to be done about gun violence.
"More action needs to be taken because that's where we feel like action ain't been taken and we are taking action into our own hands. So authorities need to step up," resident Shawn Romero said.
The Vermilion Parish Sheriff's Office has formed a violence crime suppression unit.
"What the suppression unit does is, it goes out and it focuses on these violent criminals. We're focusing on specific violent criminals that we feel need to be looked at and perhaps pulled off the street to protect our citizens of Abbeville and Vermilion parish," Eddie Langlanais said.
Langlanais says Crime Stoppers is a direct way residents can report tips anonymously.
"Hopefully the violent crimes people will start reporting and they're not afraid anymore because it is anonymous."