UPDATE: Another Opelousas Police Officer also faces charges in this case. Tyrone Abrams is scheduled to be booked on Wednesday with one count malfeasance in office, and one count principal to obstruction of justice. Abrams is the OPD's current public information officer. Deputies say he has made arrangements through his attorney to turn himself in.
Last month, Opelousas Police Chief Graig Leblanc and his wife were wounded when an employee of his shot them both at her home.
Leblanc turned himself in at the St. Landry Parish jail Monday afternoon. Records at the jail show he was booked at 4:39 p.m., posted a $26,000 bond and was released within the hour.
He was booked on a warrant accusing him of obstruction of justice, malfeasance in office and failure to assist or aid another officer.
The officer who allegedly shot Leblanc and his wife, Savannah Butler, is on leave after being booked with negligent injury and weapons charges. Leblanc's wife, St. Landry Parish Sheriff's deputy Crystal Leblanc, also is on leave.
All these charges and leaves are because of the December incident; the St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office is investigating the shooting as a crime that happened in their jurisdiction. The Sheriff's Office and the Opelousas Police Department also are conducting internal investigations regarding their respective employees' involvement in the incident.
Earlier this month, Leblanc issued a statement on the incident, saying that "the circumstances leading to this unfortunate incident are deeply personal, and I want to be forthright with you. My actions have caused pain and distress, not only to my family but also to our community.
I must acknowledge the role I played in this unfortunate situation. I have failed in my commitment to uphold the standards expected of the Chief of Police and, more importantly, failed the trust you have placed in me. Infidelity is a breach of not only the personal commitments I made but also the professional standards we all expect from those in public service.
I want to express my sincere apologies to my wife, my family, all parties involved, and to each and every member of our community. I understand the importance of regaining your trust, and I am fully committed to taking the necessary steps to address this situation head-on.
Moving forward, I will cooperate fully with any investigations and legal proceedings that may arise from this incident. Additionally, I am initiating an internal review to ensure that the actions of myself and those within the police department uphold the values and integrity that our community deserves..."
To read the full statement click here. To see our other stories on this incident, click here and here.
This is a developing story, and we'll update this story as we get more information.
