Double homicide victims identified, family comments

NEW IBERIA, La. — A New Iberia family is mourning the loss of two loved ones killed in a double homicide. KATC spoke with the mother of one of the victims to learn more about what happened.

Dewanna Broussard was a loving mother of three whose life was taken away in the blink of an eye.

“On Sunday evening, at approximately 9:15 p.m.,” said Capt. Leland Laseter of the New Iberia Police Department (NIPD), “we received a call of shots fired in the area of ​​East Persian St. and Sofas St.”

Broussard's mother, *Simone said her daughter was sitting on the steps with her friend when everything changed.

“As officers responded to that call,” Laseter continued, “they received a call that an individual had been shot in the 500 block of Sofas St.”

According to Simone, her daughter and her friend Kasey Egbi were both shot dead on the steps of the house. The suspect is unknown, no arrests have been made.

Simone said a 71-year-old woman, a family friend, was also shot in the leg. She did not reveal the woman's name.

“The other victim, a female, was transported by ambulance to a Lafayette hospital,” Laseter said, “where she was released later that night.”

*Simone did not wish to appear on camera “during this difficult time,” but did want to share a few words about her daughter:

“Dewanna loved me and we loved each other. She was my right hand, that’s the name she had on my phone. She had a big heart and would give you the shirt off her back. Whenever we needed her, she was always there… It hurts so much.”

“At this time, our investigators are conducting their investigation; they are still trying to establish the events that led to this senseless crime.”

Captain Laseter hopes the NIPD's new camera system will help detectives in this investigation.

“We have cameras in the area that we are using right now to try to film the person or people responsible for the incident, arriving at the scene or leaving the scene.”

The first phase, which involves installing nearly 500 cameras across the city, is about 80 percent complete, according to the captain. Laserer said the police department plans to deploy additional cameras in the second phase.

Citizens are encouraged to report any suspicious activity. Information about this or other crimes can be reported anonymously by calling the New Iberia Police Department at (337) 369-2306 or the Iberia Parish Crimestoppers at (337) 364-TIPS. Information can also be submitted by downloading the City of New Iberia app to your smart device by clicking on the City of New Iberia app link.

Police say the investigation is still in its early stages and information will be released as it becomes available.
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The coroner has released the identities of two people killed in a shooting on Sunday.

Dawanna Broussard, 31, and Kasey Egbi, 36, were victims of the fatal shooting.
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At 9:15 p.m. on Sunday, August 25, New Iberia Police responded to a call of shots fired in the 500 block of Sofas Street.

According to Capt. Leland Laserer, someone was shot about a minute after the call.

Three victims were found at the scene: two dead, a man and a woman. Another woman was taken to Lafayette Hospital and released later that evening.