CARENCRO, La. — Carencro, LA: On Sunday, the community rallied during a prayer vigil and anti-violence rally. The event was put into place by Pastor Lawrence Levy after 18-year-old Jaylon Joiner, a Carencro High School student, was fatally shot Friday afternoon while getting off a school bus near Carencro Middle.
Two newly elected Lafayette Parish School Board members, Josh Edmond of District 3 and Chad Desormeaux of District 2, were in attendance, delivering speeches on stopping gun violence and unifying a community.
"To hear this news is sad, it's so sad," said school board member Josh Edmond.
"We are praying for the mother, we are praying for the siblings, we are praying for the family, and we are praying for the other family as well because they are victims of the situation," said Edmond.
Edmond says he was heartbroken to hear the news, as the incident occurred in the neighborhood he grew up in, but that is not the only thing that ties him close to the shooting.
" My wife and I lost a child to gun violence as well," said Edmond.
Representing District 2, Chad Desormeaux says he is devastated.
"It's shocking because I have three, four kids total. I have two who are currently in high school. No family shouldn't have to bury their child. I can't even think about losing mine," said Desormeaux.
Desormeaux says his daugther took classes with Joiner and learned that the 18-year-old was anything but trouble.
" My daugther took classes with him, and she says he stayed to himself and was a very quiet kid," said Desormeaux.
" This is very shocking to the community, and I pray for those students and the bus driver on that bus. This is a beautiful community, and we are not accustomed to this here," said Charlotte Clavier, the Mayor of Carencro.
Now, this community comes together to preach, pray, spread love, and find ways to put an end to gun violence.
" We know it is a problem; we have to start finding solutions to where we can get these guns out of kids' hands and turn them into productive citizens. We must get them involved with a trade school if they do not attend college. We need to take the guns away and replace the tools in their hands," said Edmond.
School board members tell KATC counselors will be onsite at Carencro High School to support students and faculty.
