UPDATE: An Opelousas Police officer booked in connection with a December incident is back at work.
The agenda for next week's Opelousas City Council meeting has an item that asks council members to approve the end of Tyrone Abrams' leave and return to work, resuming his formal training period. The effective date was March 30.
Abrams turned himself in and was booked in January with one count malfeasance in office and one count principal to obstruction of justice in connection with a December shooting in which another Opelousas Police officer was accused of shooting Police Chief Graig "Twin" Leblanc and his wife, who is a St. Landry Parish Sheriff's deputy.
Here's the agenda:
The officer accused in the shooting, Savannah Butler, has since resigned from the department. Back in January, she was booked with two counts of negligent injury, one count of obstruction of justice, and one count of illegal use of a weapon. LeBlanc also was booked, with obstruction of justice, malfeasance in office and failure to assist or aid another officer.
They all were booked by St. Landry Parish Sheriff's Office deputies, who worked the shooting because it happened in their jurisdiction.
According to court records and releases from the St. Landry Parish Office, Abrams is accused of going to the house after the shooting happened, while the chief and his wife were at hospitals being treated for their injuries.
Deputies say he went to Butler's house, where the shooting happened, and being there while Butler allegedly cleaned up evidence. Much of what happened - other than the actual shooting - was captured on surveillance cameras, deputies say.
"Abrams is seen looking directly at the camera covering the carport area and entered the residence. Abrams is on and off camera talking with Butler while she was cleaning the blood evidence from the wall and carport area with a mop. Abrams stayed at the Butler home for almost an hour while she removed blood evidence from the carport area. As a law enforcement officer, Abrams had knowledge that removal of the blood evidence would affect an actual present or future criminal proceeding. Abrams failed to perform his duty to prevent or stop Butler from altering, removing, and destroying blood evidence at a crime scene. Due to Abrams' knowledge of the situation, a warrant was issued for his arrest," the release states.
To read the statement the chief issued following these arrests, click here. To see our other stories on this incident, click here and here.
