ST. LANDRY PARISH — OPELOUSAS, La. — A mother in Opelousas is left planning her son's funeral instead of celebrating a milestone. Kendrick Lewis, 24, was shot and killed over the weekend, just days before the New Year.
Stacy Lewis, Kendrick’s mother, spoke to KATC about her overwhelming grief following her son’s death. She said she was preparing to set her son off to college in the spring. Now, she is grappling with the unimaginable loss.
"I’m numb, I’m speechless. I don’t know how to feel," Stacy Lewis said, struggling to put her emotions into words.
The St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting, which occurred Saturday night on Honey Lane. According to Stacy Lewis, her son had visited her home after spending time with other family members.
Minutes later, a disturbance broke out next door at a neighboring residence. The tenant there had guests who were reportedly not supposed to be on the property. A group of women arrived shortly after, attempting to fight the people inside the home leading to a confrontation.
When Kendrick heard the commotion, he stepped outside to tell the group to leave the private property. That's when gunfire erupted, and Kendrick was caught in the crossfire.
"The bullet wasn't even meant for my child. Y'all came here to fight on private property, and then you brought a gun, shooting recklessly. You shot my child. I can't get him back. I can't hold him. I can't laugh anymore," said Stacy Lewis.
Lewis says she tried to administer CPR to save his life, but she recalls seeing so much blood that she didn’t know where it was coming from.
"Seeing your child laying in blood, cold water... I couldn’t save him," Stacy Lewis said, her voice breaking with emotion.
She is now pleading for the gunmen to come forward. "This boy right here, I’m going to get justice for my son. For 24 years, he took care of me, and I took care of him. We took care of each other," she said.
Kendrick Lewis was on track to start his education at Southern University this spring.
KATC reached out to the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office for an update on the investigation. Authorities stated that it is too early to identify any suspects or leads in the case.
We will continue to update this developing story.
