A Lafayette Parish grand jury today has decided not to indict any of the Lafayette Police officers involved in the shooting death of Trayford Pellerin on August 21, 2020. According to the Advocate, Pellerin family attorney Ron Haley says no charges will be filed against them.

Haley expressed disappointment on behalf of Pellerin's family.

The family is extremely disappointed. They were hopeful to be the exception to the rule, but they have unfortunately learned they are the rule. Par for the course took place today."

When the shooting happened, Lafayette Police requested Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations to handle the case. It all began shortly after 8 PM on August 21 when LPD officers responded to a report that someone (Pellerin) was armed with a knife at a convenience store along NE Evangeline Throughway. Officers say when they arrived on scene, Pellerin was in the parking lot of the store and allegedly tried to run away. Lafayette Police say when the tasers did not work and Pellerin - who was still armed with a knife - tried to go into another convenience store nearby, officers shot Pellerin.

A video of the incident then went viral and protests later began happening in Lafayette. The Reverend Al Sharpton even flew down to Lafayette to speak at Pellerin's funeral.

Pellerin's family also has a civil lawsuit in Federal Court against Lafayette Consolidated Government and the Lafayette Police Department that is still awaiting a hearing.

Lafayette District Attorney Don Landry held a press conference walking viewers through the video footage of that night - from the time Pellerin went into the first convenience store to the moment three Lafayette Police officers fired 11 shots at Pellerin, who was still holding the knife. The video shows officers telling Pellerin to drop the knife ten times while deploying tasers that were not stopping Pellerin.

 

 

Haley then responded to Landry's press conference with words of his own for the press:

 

 

KEEP READING: See changes enacted since George Floyd’s death

How to Talk to Your Children About the Protests & Riots

More From News Talk 96.5 KPEL