The coroner of St. Tammany Parish is sounding the alarm over an uptick in suicides. Joe Gallinaro reports.
Cut 1 (32) “…I’m Joe Gallinaro.”
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The injury bug has hit LSU hard. Linebacker Whit Weeks could be out for the season with a broken fibula. Kace Kieschnick has more.
Cut 2 (35) “…I’m Kace Kieschnick.”
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Federal, state and local law enforcement officials held a press conference in Shreveport on Monday to announce a new multi-agency initiative called the Gator Task Force. U.S. Attorney Zachary Keller says this initiative will target violent crime and drug trafficking in the Shreveport-Bossier City area. Keller says the task force officially started in July and it’s already working…
Keller says the Gator Task Force is also responsible for the seizure of over 20 pounds of methamphetamine, 19 guns and four stolen vehicles.
Governor Jeff Landry was also on hand for the press conference. Landry says when he took office in 2024, Louisiana had three cities ranked in the top ten for the most dangerous cities in the country. Landry says today none of those cities are ranked in the top ten for crime..
Caddo Parish Sheriff Henry Whitehorn is optimistic this task force will reduce the selling of illegal drugs and violent crime in north Louisiana…
Cut 5 (09) “…ready to go to work.”
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The coroner of St. Tammany Parish is sounding the alarm on an uptick in suicides. Dr. Christopher Tape says the parish is on pace for 60 suicides this year, which would be a record. He says most of these suicides are not planned in advance.
Cut 6 (08) “…they shoot themselves.”
Dr. Tape says just some routine gun safety practices can prevent suicides.
Tape says if you’re going through a crisis, there’s the 988 suicide prevention hotline, which you can call for whatever crisis you’re going through, whether you’re contemplating suicide or not. He says there are other things you can do to take your mind off those thoughts.
Cut 8 (11) “…your mental pain.”
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LSU senior linebacker Whit Weeks broke his leg during the Tigers’ 35-6 domination of Texas A&M and could miss the rest of the season. It is a major loss for a team that already lost starting defensive back Dashawn Spears to a season-ending injury. Star tight end Trey’Dez Green is also sidelined for significant time. Coach Lane Kiffin says the injuries are piling up.
Linebacker Davhon (DAY-von) Keys will step up as the starter, like he did last season with Weeks out. Kiffin and his staff rebuilt the LSU roster with a massive transfer class, but he still has concerns about its depth with eight games remaining.
Quarterback Sam Leavitt also played through a hamstring injury against the Aggies. Kiffin says the team will be extremely cautious with Leavitt this week but the injury actually helped him stay in the pocket and throw the ball better.
LSU hosts McNeese on Saturday at 6:45.
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The Louisiana Supreme Court has appointed St. Tammany and Washington Parish District Attorney Collin Sims to examine the decision to seek an indictment against Attorney General Liz Murrill. An Orleans Parish grand jury indicted Murrill in early July on malfeasance and public intimidation charges, but the charges were later dismissed. New Orleans Metro Crime Commission President Rafael Goyeneche says the investigation is unusual…
Sims will determine whether the process used to pursue the indictment was proper and whether any criminal or ethical violations occurred. Goyeneche says State Police is already investigating, and having a prosecutor involved could help determine whether the grand jury was used appropriately…
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Murrill has accused the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office of using the grand jury as political retaliation for her efforts to address corruption in New Orleans. Goyeneche says one of Sims’ responsibilities will be seeking access to grand jury records…