LAFAYETTE, La. — A neighborhood pharmacy is rallying to support a grieving family after one of their employees was killed in a homicide.
At Professional Arts Pharmacy, 39-year-old April Rollins has worked since 2017. However, this past weekend brought tragedy. Now, her workplace is stepping up to show that she was more than just a colleague.
On April 14, 2024, at about 2:40 pm, officers from the Broussard Police Department were dispatched to the 200 block of Longleaf Drive for a shooting report.
According to Broussard Police, officers learned that a female victim had been shot. The victim was transported to a local hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. She was identified as Rollins.
The suspect, identified as Ronnie Simon, 44, surrendered to the Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office. Simon was booked into the Lafayette Parish Correctional Center on a charge of second-degree murder, officials report.
After this loss, the pharmacy wanted to make sure that Rollins three sons were taken care of and had support for their education, something they told KATC mattered the most to her. Rollins coworkers have started a 529 Educational Savings Plan so anyone can contribute to honoring her memory and helping her sons have a bright future. All donations will be split equally between the three.
“I think she would’ve been touched and appreciative and really understood how much she was loved as an employee. April leaves a legacy of compassionate and amazing patient care," says Ashley Berthelot, coworker of Rollins. "She was an employee that uplifted others, she continually wrote notes and posters that were encouraging phrases to get people excited about something new or change. She was the core of how our culture was exhibiting here at Professional Arts.”
For the pharmacy, supporting her three sons that she leaves behind is to show how she was also part of their family.
“April was a fierce supporter of her three boys and she was always thinking about their achievements and things they excelled in," says Berthelot. "They’re really active in sports and her oldest just signed on to a college career playing basketball as well and so it was really important for Professional Arts Pharmacy to continue that legacy for her to support her children through their educational endeavors and really be there for her now as well and the future.”
Staff at the pharmacy plan on writing down their favorite memories of Rollins so that one day, her children can read them and know that their mom was well-loved at her job.
To donate to Rollins childrens educational fund, you can mail a check at:
UBS
C/O April Rollins Children’s Fund
201 Settlers Trace Blvd.
Suite 3004
Lafayette, LA 70508
