Police Chief Says His 'Infidelity' Led To Fellow Officer Shooting Him And Wife
A Louisiana police chief seeminglyadmitted to cheating on his sheriff deputy wife in an open letter on Wednesday that addressed how “infidelity” led to another police officer shooting them bothlast month.
“The circumstances leading to this unfortunate incident are deeply personal, and I want to be forthright with you,” Opelousas Police Chief Graig LeBlanc wrote. “My actions have caused pain and distress, not only to my family but also to our community.”
Opelousas Police Officer Savannah Butler, 42, turned herself in on Monday after allegedly shooting LeBlanc and his wife, St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Deputy Crystal LeBlanc, on Dec. 22, the sheriff’s office said in a release.
Opelousas Police Department Chief Graig LeBlanc via Opelousas Police Department Facebook.
According to deputies, Crystal LeBlanc went to Butler’s home that night to speak to her husband, who was inside, and thetwo engaged in a heated argument.
Butler then approached the pair at the doorway, allegedly armed with a gun. She fired a shot and Graig LeBlanc put his hand in front of the weapon in an attempt to disarm her, deputies said.
The bullet shot through the chief’s hand and struck his wife in the arm, the release stated.
While the chief and his wife admitted themselves into a local hospital, Butler allegedly cleaned up the crime scene in an attempt to cover up the evidence before calling authorities.
In his letter published on Wednesday, Graig LeBlanc said “infidelity” on his part led to the alleged incident.
“Infidelity is a breach of not only the personal commitments I made but also the professional standards we all expect from those in public service,” the police chief wrote.
It’s unclear whether “infidelity” referred to an affair with Butler. The police chief said he is initiating an internal review within the police department and committed to restoring the community trust.
Butler was placed on administrative leave following her arrest and was taken into custody on charges of obstruction of justice, illegal discharge of a firearm and negligent injuring, deputies said.
Graig LeBlanc was also placed on administrative leave pending the investigation and was issued a summons for trespassing onto Butler’s property.
“I want to express my sincere apologies to my wife, my family, all parties involved, and to each and every member of our community,” he wrote.
