Family in AA Comeaux game argument claims alleged threat was racial profiling

Rodricka Taylor
·7 min read

ABBEVILLE, La. (KLFY)– The Soelv family spoke with News 10 about the Wednesday altercation at a youth baseball game.

The incident happened at AA Comeaux Parks & Recreation, and many community members, parents, local officials and the baseball association Quality Sports Authority expressed disapproval of the altercation; they said the adults involved created panic, fear and chaos.

“What they’re trying to perpetuate is that I made the threat,” Angelique Soelv, one of the parents in the argument, said. “What about the threat they were making about what they had a vehicle for me? What about the threat to my life? Then you threaten to slap me. That was a threat to my life. Then you threaten my daughter but nobody’s talking about these threats. Y’all are just trying to say that I perpetuated a situation that caused all this at a park. How? Because, I commented; defined an eight-year-old, and then defended myself. How did I start anything?”

The mother claimed she was being painted as a “regular angry Black woman or the gangster Black woman in a gangster family” who was allegedly trying to bring guns.

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Soelv shared her story and explained she was on Facebook Live to record her 8-year-old son’s game when a parent allegedly commented on her son’s play after she recently expressed good sportsmanship to another player.

“A play before my son’s catch, the little catcher from the other team made an outstanding play. He caught the ball, tagged out and ran out at home. You can hear in my live I’m saying good job, little man. You did very good,” Soelv said. “The next inning comes up. My son makes a diving catch at the foul line and the dad gets up. It’s not on Facebook because I’m still celebrating my son. He’s pulling at the fence hollering about ‘its luck. That ain’t nothing but luck’.”

The mother further explained she told the man, “That’s talent”, and felt the argument was over until another woman cursed her out and matters escalated.

Jalearreia Soelv, the daughter, said her mother called her as she is the only child in the city and informed her what was happening. She told News 10 that threatening words were said towards her mother.

“I simply went there, and I went to address the two,” Jalearreia Soelv said. “I didn’t hop out of anything with no weapon. I didn’t barge into nowhere. I didn’t forcefully go anywhere. I didn’t curse at them when I addressed them. I simply said, I don’t know which one of y’all that disrespected my mom but after all of this, y’all could come talk to me outside the gate.”

Jalearreia Soelv explained a man got up and said to meet her by his truck.

“I don’t know if it was his son’s bat or whatever bat it was but when the police got there, he was still holding the bat. He grabbed the bat. I went to look for something to protect myself,” she explained.

The mother said her daughter went to get her brother’s bat but never did. As they were leaving the park they were informed someone would bring her son because the game was going on. The mother said as she was in the driver’s seat and her daughter walked to the truck a man came running with a bat out of the park after her daughter. She added racial slurs were used many times at her daughter. However, she said she gave the police her statement and believes many people are upset no one got arrested during the incident. The mother explained a woman who came across the field told the police what she saw and claimed a man ran after her daughter with a bat she went to get something and the police claimed it was self-defense and let them go.

Jalearreia Soelv said the narrative being put out is that “she [her mother] called us to come and shoot up the place or whatever they’re trying to say.”

“Why would we do that when my little brother is on that same field y’all hollering, y’all have kids at,” she continued. “My mom’s child is on that same field that y’all hollering y’all have kids. So we are going to come there and bring guns? Whatever y’all have to say.”

“For them to try to make this narrative that we try to do all of this. No, y’all racially profiled us because they saw a Black man come up and try to protect Black women, y’all started running and screaming. That boy that even tried to help us look no older than 16. So y’all come up and scream, he got a gun. He got a gun when he had nothing in his hand because he was coming to protect our side. How y’all had people all ganging up on us?” she expressed.

She added the only reason the incident is getting attention and broadcasted is due to people claiming threats of gun violence and children being traumatized.

“Y’all brought that upon yourself because I didn’t walk in like I was barging into anything. I walked directly to them and I addressed the people who had something to do with it. If that is a crime you let me know something,” she said.

The mother shared that her son who plays in two leagues and had been playing baseball since the age of 3 was impacted by the incident and discouraged to continue playing baseball.

“‘Well, Momma, all I did was try my best like you and the coaches told me and I made it catch. Now I don’t think I want to play baseball’. Did anybody feel any type of way about my child and how this traumatized him?” the mother asked.

“I would hope that you can look with an objective eye and see that once me and this gentleman past words, everything was calm until an adult woman cursed me out. No adult is going to sit there, and let another adult just talk crazy and curse them out without responding,” she added, “If I feel you are being antagonistic and upsetting to my child. I will defend him. I will tell you about yourself.”

“I do feel what they thought is I was the only Black parent out there that they can get loud and try to bully somebody and I’m not that person to be bullied. I will answer you. I will have the same tone. I will meet you at your level, the same tone you gave me. I will give you,” Angelique Soelv said.

QSA released a statement that said, “We are all disturbed and upset about the situation that occurred at AA Comeaux Park last evening on our Tournament Championship night for QSA. Our management regrets that our children and our parents had to witness this terrible and inexcusable display of behavior by adults, which started with an argument over a youth baseball game.”

Angelique Soelv said due to the incident her son never got his winning medal as his team won the game and never got a chance to take a team photo. The mother informed News 10 that QSA notified her that her 8-year-old was off the All-Star team and not allowed to play with the association for a year. This applies to the other parties involved in the incident as well. News 10 reached out to the association for clarification on the reason and never received a response by news time. Abbeville Police Department told News 10 they are investigating and have videos they are reviewing from different angles, also gathering statements from both parties involved. Chief Mike Hardy said several arrests are pending and after the investigation, some people will be banned from the park.

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