LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — The Lafayette Police Department (LPD) responded to an incident at a retail store in which a man forced entry before the store opened and made threats toward the only employee present at the time.
A witness statement was given to News 10 with a full recount of the incident, detailed below. According to the statement, the victim was the only employee in the store at the time of the incident, which happened shortly before 9 a.m. on Wednesday, June 22.
The victim was in the main area of the store doing some work before the store opened when he heard banging on the front double doors. According to the statement, the victim thought it was just an angry customer because it was close to the time that the sales team comes into work, so he tried to ignore it. However, the banging got more aggressive, so the employee tried to stay out of sight.
Eventually, the suspect forced the locked doors open and came into the store, yelling the name of a sales manager who was not present at the time, according to the statement. The employee who was there told the man the store was not open and the sales manager was not present.
The suspect allegedly told the victim to “shut the f*** up,” made mention of a Glock, and had his hands in his pocket, according to the witness statement.
The assailant then allegedly started demanding that the victim either call the sales manager or perform oral sex on him.
The witness statement said that’s when he called the sales manager and police. While the victim was on the phone, the man kept threatening him to perform sexual favors, according to the statement.
Soon after that exchange, the victim was able to run out of the building through the back doors to wait outside until the police arrived.
LPD said the suspect was taken to the University Health Clinic where he was given a Physician Emergency Certificate for the state of his mental health. Sgt. Robin Green with LPD explained that usually when people are given a PEC, they have been seen by a physician who determines that an individual is dealing with mental health issues severe enough that they need to be committed for care.
Green said a warrant will be applied for applicable charges.