The newly elected mayor of Westlake Louisiana was found shot to death

[whistle]

Jan 1, 5:55 PM EST
Louisiana Mayor Found Shot to Death

WESTLAKE, La. (AP) -- The newly elected mayor of this Louisiana town was found shot to death over the weekend, less than three days before he was set to become the community's first black leader.

Gerald "Wash" Washington, 57, was found Saturday night in the parking lot of a former high school. He had been shot in the chest, police said.

Authorities said Washington was lying by his truck with a pistol nearby. Investigators were treating the death as a homicide.

Washington, who served on the city council, was sworn in Dec. 19 as Westlake's first new mayor in 24 years. He was set to take office Tuesday.

The city council has 10 days to appoint an interim mayor, according to retiring Mayor Dudley Dixon.

Westlake, a community of 5,000 residents, is 200 miles west of New Orleans.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BRF_MAYOR_KILLED?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

[annabanana]

1. Damn!

It sounds like some good ol boy was holding a grudge...

[piedmont]

5. Funny, I didn't find any info in the article that suggested that

Is there some universal truth that I'm ignorant of? Black folks are only ever killed by "good ole boys" maybe?

[Capn Amerika]

2. Are all the Blackwater USA employees accounted for?

Is that mercenary group still patrolling down there?

[Rabrrrrrr]

3. WOW, PARTISAN VIOLENCE AND CORRUPTION IN LOUISIANA?

I'M SHOCKIFIED.

[RB TexLa]

4. We have always been a violent culture

It's part of what Louisiana is.

[Dr.Phool]

11. Any irate Bronco fans down there?

[charlie]

6. First new mayor in 24 years?

Wow, they must've really, really, really, really liked the old mayor. Or he had an unstoppable political machine.

[BrklynLiberal]

7. ....

[Dean Martin]

8. Doesn't surprise me

A talk show on a black radio station here in Indy last week was discussing another town in Louisiana where a substitute bus driver (white) made the black school children all sit in the back of the bus! So sadly, this news doesn't really surprise me.

[CatWoman]

9. welcome to DU, Dino

:hi:

[newyawker99]

12. Hi Dean Martin!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[LA lady]

10. Very sad, more to the story

I think you are judging this without knowing the situation. He was very well liked.

Washington won election last fall by capturing 69% of the vote and was due to be sworn-in today (Jan. 1st) as the town's first black mayor.

Outgoing mayor, Dudley Dixon, who chose not to run for re-election, says Washington was an experienced member of the city council who worked for the betterment of everyone regardless of their color.

Dixon says this is a community that is 80% white and it overlooked the prejudice of race and put the man that was best fit for the job into that position. He says everyone hoped everything was going to work out for the town and unfortunately, he has been taken away.


http://www.klfy.com/Global/story.asp?S=5878497

[Dean Martin]

13. I hope they catch whoever did it

I hope they catch whoever did this.

And, thanks for the welcome everyone.

[SmokingJacket]

14. "200 miles west of New Orleans"

That puts that town damn close to the most racist chunk of land in America: the border between Texas and Louisiana -- just down the highway from Vidor, TX, in fact.

I'd say the chances that this is a racial, even Klan-related, killing are pretty good.