An Opelousas man and a Church Point teenager were each indicted on six counts of attempted second-degree murder following a Feb. 22 shooting on Marie Street in Church Point.
Church Point Police Chief Dale Thibodeaux stated, in a news release the 16-year-old was indicted for his involvement in a shooting of an occupied residence which occurred on Marie Street in Church Point on Feb. 22.
Thibodeaux stated shots were fired at the residence with an AR15 .223-caliber rifle. The 16-year-old has been arrested for six counts of attempted second degree murder with a $600,000 bail was booked into the Acadia Parish Jail.
On March 15, an Acadia Parish grand jury indicted Christopher Freeman, 22, of Opelousas, and Jaden Citizen, 16, of Church Point on the attempted second-degree murder charges. Freeman was also indicted on charges of felon in possession of a firearm and illegal use of a weapon.
Citizen was arrested by the Church Point Police following the indictment.
Freeman is still at large and is considered armed and dangerous. He is also known to frequent the Lake Charles, Ville Platte and Eunice areas. Those with any information on Freeman’s whereabouts are asked to call the Church Point Police at 337-684-5455.
Freeman is also wanted on another six counts of attempted second-degree murder in connection with a Feb. 17 shooting on Labbie Street in Church Point.
“In this incident, an investigation revealed Freeman shot five rounds into the residence from a 9mm,” Thibodeaux stated. “The residence contained adults and young kids. Warrants have also been issued on Freeman for that shooting.”
In total, Freeman is wanted on: six counts of attempted second-degree murder for the Feb. 17 shooting with a bond of $600,000; six counts second-degree murder for the Feb. 22 shooting with a bond of $600,000; assault by drive by shooting with a bond of $100,000; felon in possession of a firearm with a bond of $100,000; contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile with a bond of $20,000; and illegal discharge of a firearm with a bond of $20,000.
The indictments are just two of the many handed down by the Acadia Parish Grand Jury on March 15. Nearly a dozen of the indictments were related to what police believe are gang-related shootings in Crowley.
At a Church Point Town Council meeting earlier this month, Thibodeaux said Church Point is also home to two local gangs that include individuals from Opelousas and Lafayette.
In a Feb. 25 news release, Thibodeaux stated that Freeman is known to be the leader of the street gang 5CM, a local gang consisting of juveniles and younger adults.
At the same council meeting, Thibodeaux said he requested assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service in locating the suspects in the recent shootings around Church Point. His request follows several recent shooting reports not only in Church Point, but also in Crowley, Rayne and one that occurred between Branch and Church Point. Thibodeaux told the council some of these shootings may be linked.
Crowley Police Chief Jimmy Broussard said deputies from the U.S. Marshal’s Office are also going to assist the Crowley Police Department in rounding up suspects.
