NEW IBERIA, La. (KLFY) — The man accused of shooting and wounding seven people including a baby girl and her mother in New Iberia, was ordered held in the Iberia Parish jail on a $10 million bond.
Amiri Benoit appeared in a 16th Judicial District court Tuesday afternoon, according to District Attorney Bo Duhe.
He said Benoit, who was previously jailed on a murder charge in 2020 and released in 2021 on a $400K bond, has showed that he is a violent offender.
“I am in full agreement with this decision by Judge Roger Hamilton, ” Duhe said.
“His previous history of murder, attempted murder and aggravated assault shows that he is violent in nature and needs to be in jail.”
On March 18, 2022 police say Benoit opened fire on a home in the 200 block of C.V. Jackson Drive and fled the area.
Within days, police identified the suspect and issued warrants for attempted first degree murder, aggravated criminal damage to property, illegal use of weapons and firearms in a firearm free zone.
A 7-month old girl, identified by family as Ire’Anna Linzer was struck in the head, her mother, Dariana Linzer in the eye.
The child was rushed to a local hospital, then transported to a hospital in New Orleans where she was treated for a brain injury, and released.
Her mother lost an eye in the shooting and has been fitted for a prosthetic eye.
On April 6, Benoit and Mactori Doucet, a second suspect in the shooting, were arrested by the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force in Texas and transported back to Louisiana.