Early Morning Shooting Leaves One Dead in Downtown Lafayette

Police responded to an early morning shooting incident that left one person dead in Downtown Lafayette.

UPDATE:

A dispute in a parking lot in the 500 block of Jefferson Street tragically escalated to a fatal shooting, resulting in the death of 18-year-old Justin Broussard from Arnaudville, LA. The incident, which occurred around 1:10 a.m. on December 31, 2023, led to the swift arrest of two suspects by the Lafayette Police Department.

Responding to the scene, officers found Broussard with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The initial investigation revealed that the incident started as a verbal altercation in the parking lot. During the confrontation, one of the suspects, identified as 29-year-old Russell Henry of Arnaudville, LA, brandished a handgun but then lowered it. Subsequently, a second suspect, a 17-year-old male juvenile, produced another handgun and fired at Broussard, causing the fatal injury.

According to Lafayette Police, officers, who were nearby, quickly apprehended both suspects. Russell Henry has been charged and booked into Lafayette Parish Correctional Center with manslaughter, possession of a stolen firearm, and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. The juvenile suspect faces charges of second-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a juvenile, and simple escape related to a prior incident, and has been booked into Lafayette Juvenile Detention Home.

The Lafayette Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division, along with Crime Scene Investigators, continue to investigate the case. Anyone with additional information about this incident can contact them or Lafayette Crime Stoppers.

ORIGINAL STORY:

In the early hours of Sunday morning (Dec. 31), the Lafayette Police Department responded to reports of shots fired in the 500 block of Jefferson Street at approximately 1:10 a.m. Upon arrival, officers discovered a victim on the ground who had suffered a gunshot wound.

According to Seargent Robin Green with Lafayette PD, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene. Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Division and Crime Scene Investigators have been called in to investigate the incident. The investigation is ongoing, and further information will be provided when available.

Authorities are urging anyone with information related to this incident to contact The Lafayette Police Department or Lafayette Crime Stopper at (337) 232-TIPS (8477). Anonymous tips can also be submitted through the LPD App or the P3 TIPS Mobile App, or by dialing **TIPS (**8477) on your mobile device.

We remain in contact with Lafayette Police as we await confirmation of the details surrounding the reported shooting.

This is a developing story and we will update this report when more confirmed information is available.