Opelousas, LA- Opelousas Police need the public's assistance investigating two recent shootings. NEWS spoke to a local resident that was affected by the gunfire.
The last few days have been a horrible experience for one Opelousas resident. Her home has been shot up twice in the previous days. All she asks is that she can have peace again and doesn't have to wake up fearing for her family's life.
"It sounded like a machine gun. When it started, it wasn't going to stop until it was finished."
Linda Nichols has lived in her home for over twenty-seven years.
Early Friday morning, she was woken up to a round of gunshots being shot throughout her home.
"It's not a drive-by shooting. They are standing right in the street shooting at my house. It's a hurting situation. I raise my family here. You know, I have a son that just died nine months ago. I don't want to lose my family." says Nichols.
Nichols says she thanks God that her family is okay, but last night her home was targeted by gunshots again. this time she was scared for her son's life as his room is in the front of the house."They really shot up my house last night. I came running and asked him, are you okay ad he said, mama, go back to the back and get down.
Nichol's daughter relies on nursing services. She says she's lost the help she receives to help care for her daughter, as two nurses quit due to shootings at the house.
Opelousas Police Chief Martin Mclendon says Nichols is an innocent victim, and there have been several shootings in the area.
Chief Mclendon tells NEWS15 he believes this is due to retaliation. "Perhaps people who are related to Ms.Linda and those people who are retaliating believe that they are giving fire to the person that they believe are in that house, and they are retaliating. It's been a back in forth."
Chief says the department feels for Nichols. They will try their hardest to give her as much protection as possible, hoping she does not want to see this happen again to her family.
"We are going to ask an officer while he or she is doing their paperwork to park at her home to give her some sense of peace," expressed the Chief.
The Opelousas Police Department has more surveillance that they hope will give them a positive few of who was involved in the shooting that's occurred these past days.
Opelousas Police ask anyone with any information related to these shootings to contact the Opelousas Police Department at 337-948-2500
Crime Stoppers (337-948-TIPS)
Tipsters can receive up to a $1000.00 cash reward.
