Iberia Parish officials dispel rumors of evacuee violence

[NorthernSpy]

http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/090305/sub_dispel001.shtml

NEW IBERIA -- Iberia Parish officials added their voices to the recent chorus of local officials across the state dismissing rumors of uncontrolled violence in areas sheltering evacuees from Hurricane Katrina.
Iberia Parish President Will Langlinais said the rumors of carjacking, rapes and robberies are getting well-worn from travel throughout Louisiana. "Just change the name, the same rumors are running rampant," he said.

Sheriff Sid Hebert said that while rumors have run of a spread of violence over the past 24 hours, his officers have seen no upswing.

He said his officers reported only two crimes that could conceivably be tied to the influx of people -- though he found it unlikely -- a report from a pharmacy that three young men had tried to get medication without a prescription and a robbery on Ann Street.

Those who have helped to spread these slanders: what do you have to say for yourselves?

[NorthernSpy]

1. lies in Lafayette

http://www.theadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050901/NEWS05/50901009

The rumors of robberies popped up all over the city. Champagne’s, which is located in the Saint Streets area, was rumored to have been robbed, as was Lafayette Shooters, another sporting goods store. The Saint Street area itself was rumored to have been the site of several residential burglaries. There was rumors of a riot at the intersection of Bertrand and Congress. That area was also rumored to be the site of a carjacking and of another shooting.

Lafayette Shooters received some 1,000 calls within two hours regarding the rumor and has now also nearly sold out of firearms.

“It is definitely false,” said Doug Brown, Lafayette Shooter’s store manager. “It’s really somebody’s idea of a sick joke I guess.”

Later, rumors began to circulate about an armed robbery at Albertsons. It took only a short period of time before the armed robbery was rumored to be a homicide. Earlier rumors of crime have involved imaginary thefts or burlgaries at Hooters, Wal-Mart and homes in the Saint streets area near the Cajundome.

After the rumors started, Lafayette Shooters sold 60 guns in three hours.

[Mairead]

2. Well, we all know them n*gg*rs get likkered up, lose control,

and go robbing and killing and raping White wimmen.

Fear rumors founded in racism.

[stickdog]

3. And any of us asking for confirmation of these reports before

expressing outrage must all be rapists ourselves!

[stickdog]

4. But any of us asking for confirmation of these reports before

expressing our murderous outrage must all be rapists ourselves!