5 shootings reported in Donaldsonville in 2023; leaders meeting

DONALDSONVILLE, La. (WAFB) - Community and law enforcement leaders in Donaldsonville are meeting on the evening of Tuesday, Feb. 7, to discuss ongoing crime issues.

According to the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, there were 32 shootings in 2022. Six people were killed and only four of the cases were solved.

So far in 2023, there have been five shooting incidents. One of the incidents was ruled a homicide.

The violence wasn’t always a problem. Walking into Bellina’s Grocery Store is like going back in time to an older version of Donaldsonville.

“Everybody will probably tell you, you trusted everybody,” Michele Bellina said. “Everything was so open and you would have little minor stuff, but not like today,”

From the corner store, Bellina has watched Donaldsonville change.

“Just a few blocks away over there, by the school board and the person said, ‘oh, somebody shot us.’ like it’s nothing. What do you mean somebody shot? That would have been a big deal,” Bellina said.

Halfway across town, Lionell Henry has seen it too.

“You know back in my day, we went with the fists and knuckle up, you know and we get down with it,” Henry said.

Henry watched Donaldsonville transform from a village that rarely knew violence to one that now echoes with nightly gunfire.

“They need to stop the shooting, they really need to you know. Put the guns away, there’s no need for that,” Henry added.

Residents also said when businesses moved out, drugs moved in.

“They don’t care, you know. The respect is not there. You know, I find it’s different than what it was when we were growing up,” Bellina said.

Glenn Price is president of the Sunrise Community Group. He and his group hope to change things. He’s bringing community leaders together to hash things out.

“Donaldsonville needs opportunities, and that’s when people begin to look at things and people begin to have a certain hope and aspirations to life,” said Price. “We are going to work together and make that happen.”

Besides the Sunrise Community Group, the Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, school leaders, and church leaders will also be present at the meeting to collaborate with folks on what they can do to help.

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