2:30 LRN Newscast May 20

Three people were shot Thursday night while attending Hammond High School’s graduation ceremonies, and a man has been arrested for it. Southeastern University Police Chief Michael Beckner says 20-year-old Trent Thomas was arrested within minutes of the shooting. Hammond Police Chief Edwin Bergeron says they do know that the shooting victims were innocent bystanders, and that more suspects than just Thomas are being sought…:

CUT 10(11)      “…person of interest”

A fourth person was injured trying to escape the gunfire. No one was killed. Bergeron says suspected gang violence was behind the shootings. He says high school seniors deserve better graduation memories than this.

A St. John Parish deputy hit and killed a pedestrian who was walking across U.S. Highway 61 in Laplace Thursday night. State Police say the area is not well-lit, and the deputy may not have seen the victim. Impairment of the officer is not suspected. The victim’s name is withheld until family are notified. The accident is under investigation.

 

The Senate Education Committee approves a House-backed measure that would hold back third graders from advancing to the fourth grade if they score poorly multiple times on a literacy test. Michelle Southern has more…:

CUT 01(32)      “…reporting.”

A Leesville woman is charged with falsely reporting a crime and with hiding drugs inside a sheriff’s patrol car. Vernon Parish deputies say Judith Smythe told them she witnessed her daughter being murdered, but she provided no evidence that had really happened. While she was detained in the patrol unit, she allegedly offloaded the dope from her person.