“It was like they were living like they were in a war zone,”

Some of the 11 people arrested in two pre-dawn raids in Eunice on Thursday were sleeping with their guns nearby, Police Chief Randy Fontenot said.
“They were ready for attack. It was like they were living like they were in a war zone,” he said.
The houses, one in the 100 block of Townhome Drive and the other at South Mallet and North streets, were equipped with video surveillance and outdoor spotlights, he said.
“Apparently they were living in constant fear because of their criminal activity — constant fear of being attacked and ready for defense,” he said.
The spotlights even drew complaints from neighbors, Fontenot said.
“It is sad when you’ve got to live like that because of your criminal activity ... but I’m glad they were living in fear because they were causing a lot of innocent people in town to live in fear too,” he said.
Beginning at 6 a.m. Thursday, Eunice Police, Eunice City Marshal’s Office deputies and St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s deputies executed search warrants simultaneously.
The warrants were connection with shootings in Eunice, he said.
Fontenot also said the arrests are in connection with the trade in marijuana.
Sheriff’s deputies led the raid on Townhome and Eunice Police directed the raid at South Mallet and North streets, he said.
“The occupants were found sleeping with guns nearby. One of the people in one of the houses did reach for a weapon, he said in a news release.
The subject reached for a SKS 7.62mm semi-automatic rifle and officers shouted for him to stop, Fontenot said. The man kept reaching and was stopped again as six guns were pointed at him, he said.
“The officers and deputies did a good job keeping it from becoming a deadly situation,” Fontenot said.
There were no reported injuries from the raids.
The arrests may put a brake on the wave of shootings in the city.
“I think this is going to be, it should be a dramatic reduction in the number of guns fired that you hear in Eunice,” he said.
“And obviously while these people are jail it is going to reduce the shootings and shootings back and forth between these two groups.
Surveillance videos and phones seized in the raids may lead to additional charges, he said.
According to the news release, weapons seized included an SKS 7.62mm semi-automatic rifle, .40 caliber and 9mm Glock handguns, snubnosed .38 caliber revolver, M-11 semi-auto 9mm handgun, 20 gauge shotgun and a Savage .270 caliber rifle.
The M-11 handgun was reported stolen in Pennsylvania, he said.
Also seized in the searches was 260 grams of marijuana and paraphernalia along with other evidence.
The following were arrested as a result of the early morning raids:
Guerry William Burgess, 27, 100 block of Townhome Drive, Eunice. Possession of marijuana 14 grams of less.
Charles Wesley, 27, 800 block of South Beulah Street, Eunice. Possession of marijuana 14 grams of less.
Randeshea Washington, 22, 500 block of South Martin Luther King Drive, Eunice. Possession of marijuana 14 grams of less.
Delridge Robinson, 23, 100 block of Townhome Drive, Eunice. Possession of Schedule 1 drugs less than 2.5 lbs., illegal carrying of weapon and illegal use of controlled dangerous substance in the presence of minor.
Damar Robinson, 25, 100 block of Townhome Drive, Eunice. Possession of Schedule 1 drugs less than 2.5 lbs., illegal carrying of weapon and illegal use of controlled dangerous substance in the presence of minor.
Brandon Robinson, 21, 100 block of Bollich Road, Eunice. Possession of marijuana 14 grams or less.
Thelma Lucille Guillory, 19, 700 block of Lewis Street, Eunice. Possession of Schedule 1 drugs less than 2.5 lbs., and illegal use of controlled dangerous substance in the presence of minor.
Michelle Diggles, 22, 500 block of South Martin Luther King Drive, Eunice. Possession of marijuana 14 grams of less.
Darius Bazile, 22, 200 block of South Mallet Street, Eunice. Possession of Schedule 1 drugs less than 2.5 lbs., illegal carrying of weapon, possession of firearm or carrying concealed weapon by a felon, and illegal use of controlled dangerous substance in the presence of minor.
Demarquis K. Robinson, 24, 100 block of Townhome Drive, Eunice. Two counts of assault by drive-by shooting, attempted second-degree murder, criminal damage to property.
Alexandra Thomas, 22, 2900 block of Louisiana Avenue, Lake Charles, and 300 block of Cotton Street, Eunice. Warrant, illegal use of controlled dangerous substance in the presence of minor and possession of marijuana 14 grams or less.