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Five arrested after allegedly shooting automatic weapons into air on New Year's Day

6 months 1 week 17 hours ago Thursday, January 18 2024 Jan 18, 2024 January 18, 2024 10:38 PM January 18, 2024 in News
Source: WBRZ

UPDATE: Five people were arrested after detectives reviewed video of the suspects, the Baton Rouge Police Department said on Thursday, Jan. 18.

Treylen Williams, 18, Jaquael Robinson, 18, and Tige O'Conner, 21, were arrested alongside two 17-year-olds. Four firearms were also seized.

Williams was charged with possession of a machine gun, two counts of simple criminal damage to property and unlawful posting of criminal activity for notoriety and publicity; Robinson, O'Conner and the juveniles were charged with possession of a machine gun and two counts of simple criminal damage to property.

The 17-year-olds also were charged with illegal possession of a handgun by a juvenile.

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BATON ROUGE - Video captured on New Year's Eve shows several young men firing different guns recklessly in an Eden Park neighborhood.

It's a disturbing and sometimes deadly activity on holidays—just this week in New Orleans, a Westwego man was killed when a stray bullet pierced his home.

Most of the shooting in the video takes place next to the First Love Church. Pastor Ric Rheams and his wife moved into this church in August. He said God called them to the area to try and make a difference.

"People need to realize that life can be better and that life is valuable," said Rheams.

That lesson was apparently lost on the young men in the video. In the lot next to the church, WBRZ picked up around 50 spent shell casings. The lawn is riddled with bullets, and just a few yards away there are bullet holes in the church's daycare building.

Luckily, Rheams decided to have Sunday service that morning and not New Year's Eve night.

"We actually chose not to have services on what is known as a watch night for those reasons. Not because of the area, but that's just something we've always believed in because like someone wisely said 'a bullet has no name on it'."

Despite the damage, Rheams and his wife say they aren't scared for their or their congregants' safety, rather looking at this as an opportunity to advance their mission.

"It's unfortunate. It makes my heart very sad but at the same time I'm not discouraged, I'm encouraged because that's when light shines brighter: in darkness."

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