Baton Rouge activist, filmmaker premiering documentary detailing his struggles, hopes to inspire changePlay Video
May 24, 2024 5:36 PM
BATON ROUGE — A Baton Rouge activist is showcasing a free early screening of his upcoming documentary showcasing his rise from a feared gang leader to an award-winning film director. The documentary is called "Life or Death: the Silky Slim Story," and follows the story of Arthur "Silky Slim"... more »
Memorial Day observances set statewide over the next week; here's a partial listPlay Video
May 24, 2024 11:59 AM
BATON ROUGE — A number of Memorial Day commemorations are set for Louisiana in the coming week, some hosted by communities and several conducted by the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs. Department Secretary Col. Charlton Meginley will deliver opening remarks Saturday at the Memorial Day Garden of Flags on... more »
As River Center renovation, downtown rejuvenation looms, residents are mixed on planPlay Video
May 22, 2024 5:59 PM
BATON ROUGE — The Baton Rouge Metro Council discussed the renovation of the River Center at its meeting Wednesday afternoon. The Baton Rouge River Center was built in 1977. Since opening its doors, the building has seen many innovations and renovations. However, their next renovation is aiming to be... more »
19 high schoolers among students who receive degrees at BRCC graduationPlay Video
May 21, 2024 12:44 PM
BATON ROUGE — Baton Rouge Community College's graduation ceremonies included 19 high school students who also received associate degrees or general studies certificates. The younger graduates are from the GEO Next Generation High School Baton Rouge. Fourteen earned full associate degrees and five earned the general studies certificate for... more »
School closures announced after severe weatherPlay Video
May 17, 2024 5:25 AM
School closures have been announced after overnight weather. The following list is current and more schools could be added: Ascension Parish - All schools are open EXCEPT FOR Ascension Head Start in Donaldsonville due to power outage East Baton Rouge Parish - All schools are open EXCEPT FOR... more »
Police looking for burglars who stole guns from Addis subdivision, fired shots near officers
November 17, 2023 1:38 PM
ADDIS - Law enforcement officials launched extra patrols in some West Baton Rouge subdivisions after officers were greeted with gunfire when they went to investigate reports of car burglaries this week. The Addis Police Department says it's working with the West Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office to investigate the string... more »
Coast Guard suspends search for Louisiana man who disappeared from cruise ship in Gulf
November 14, 2023 11:58 AM
UPDATE: The Coast Guard announced Thursday it was suspending its search for Tyler Barnett. Read the full announcement below. The Coast Guard suspended the search Thursday for a missing 28-year-old man who went overboard from the Carnival Glory cruise ship approximately 30 miles southwest of Southwest Pass, Louisiana. ... more »
Sheriff now offering $10K reward in Tangipahoa cold case killing
November 13, 2023 3:04 PM
TANGIPAHOA - Law enforcement is now offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the killing of a man who was found shot to death in his own driveway nearly a decade ago. The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office announced the new reward Monday in the investigation... more »
Wrong-way driver booked for DWI, vehicular homicide after deadly crash on I-10 in Ascension Parish
October 25, 2023 2:23 PM
SORRENTO - A Texas man was booked for vehicular homicide and his third DWI after he struck another driver head-on along I-10 late Tuesday night, killing a woman. Louisiana State Police reported that 34-year-old Joshuah Cannon of Nederland, Texas was driving west in the eastbound lanes of the interstate... more »
Prominent lawyer and lobbyist arrested for domestic violence gets charges dismissedPlay Video
October 19, 2023 7:01 PM
BATON ROUGE - A prominent lawyer and lobbyist who was the focus of multiple WBRZ Investigative Unit reports last year had all of his domestic abuse charges dismissed. The WBRZ Investigative Unit learned that Kevin Hayes went through a "mitigation" program with the East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney's... more »
Play Video
October 16, 2023 12:49 PM
BATON ROUGE - Sean Wallace, a highly decorated football player and assistant coach at Southern University, has been blindsided by a stage four pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Those close to Wallace, a safeties coach for the Southern Jags, say the disease was found recently after Wallace went to an urgent... more »
Deputies seize pair of stolen Corvettes, 22 pounds of marijuana in Slidell bust
October 11, 2023 11:55 AM
SLIDELL - Sheriff's deputies recovered a pair of stolen sports cars and seized nearly two dozen pounds of marijuana from a home in southeast Louisiana. The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office said they also seized nearly $27,000 in cash and three handguns after raiding the house on Brookhaven Court... more »
La. Congressman Steve Scalise among those seeking to fill House speaker vacancy after McCarthy's removal
October 4, 2023 4:24 PM
WASHINGTON (AP) — The stunning removal of Kevin McCarthy as speaker has left the House adrift as Republicans struggle to bring order to their fractured majority and begin the difficult and potentially prolonged process of uniting around a new leader. The House convened briefly Wednesday and then went into... more »
Teacher booked for rape amid claims that she gave birth to student's childPlay Video
October 3, 2023 12:57 PM
LORANGER - A school teacher has been arrested for sex crimes, including a rape charge, after deputies investigated claims she was impregnated by a student. "Sex education was taken literally at this school," George R. Tucker, the attorney representing the 17 year old, said. The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's... more »
Longtime BRAC leader stepping down, taking on new role at Committee of 100
October 2, 2023 1:30 PM
BATON ROUGE - Adam Knapp, longtime CEO at the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, is leaving the organization to join a non-profit seeking to bolster economic development across the state. Knapp, whose been with BRAC since 2008, is taking on a similar leadership role at the Committee of 100 for... more »
Amid legal fight with city-parish, troubled Civil Service Board member arrested for contractor fraud
September 19, 2023 2:31 PM
BATON ROUGE - The man at the head of a board that oversees discipline for Baton Rouge law enforcement was arrested again Tuesday on allegations of contractor fraud. Jail records show that Brandon Williams, 48, was booked into the parish jail Tuesday morning on counts of residential contractor fraud... more »
East Feliciana animal preserve claims feds 'wrongfully confiscated' their sick giraffePlay Video
September 13, 2023 2:31 PM
ETHEL - A small-scale nature preserve that markets up-close encounters with exotic animals says federal regulators overreached this week when they took away its ailing giraffe. A statement issued by Barn Hill Preserve in Ethel alleges the U.S. Department of Agriculture had "no warrant, no ruling, no judgment, and... more »
Photos: Shaq makes surprise visit at Baton Rouge bakery
September 4, 2023 3:55 PM
BATON ROUGE - LSU basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal was back in town over the weekend and made a surprise visit at a popular bakery in the capital area. Ambrosia Bakery shared pictures of Shaq's visit on Sunday, saying the Tiger-turned-NBA star stopped by their Siegen Lane location earlier that... more »
Woman who allegedly gunned down 12-year-old girl indicted for murder as others shed charges
August 31, 2023 8:06 PM
CENTRAL - A woman who allegedly shot and killed a 12-year-old girl who knocked on her front door was indicted for murder Thursday as two others implicated in the shooting had their charges reduced or thrown out all together. East Baton Rouge court records show that Ester Williams was... more »
Fight between city workers led to dangerous shootout in Baker; 2 facing criminal chargesPlay Video
August 28, 2023 6:26 PM
BAKER - New details surfaced Thursday in a shootout that stemmed from an argument between workers at a city workshop in Baker. An arrest warrant obtained by WBRZ says the shooting started Monday after the accused aggressor, Trenton Brown, got into a fight at the public works building on... more »
Interim CATS boss abruptly quits as problems persist for troubled bus system
August 23, 2023 12:31 PM
BATON ROUGE - Interim CATS CEO Dwana Williams has resigned a little more than a year after she took the place of the bus system's last boss , who was ousted amid a series of WBRZ Investigative Unit reports uncovering the many problems at the agency. Sources with the... more »
EBR resumes classes Tuesday, will keep altered dismissal schedule through Labor DayPlay Video
August 21, 2023 1:12 PM
BATON ROUGE - Students will return to schools in East Baton Rouge on Tuesday after missing two days in a row due because of a pay dispute between the school system and its bus drivers. School leaders met with the disgruntled bus drivers Monday after more than half of... more »
Seven students ticketed after brawl at Central High
August 21, 2023 10:21 AM
CENTRAL - Officials said a fight prompted a police presence at Central High School Monday morning. According to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office, three students got into a fight with another three students. There were no injuries. The sheriff's office said seven students were ticketed for disturbing... more »
Dangerous heat: Louisiana reports at least 16 deaths in recent months amid historically hot summerPlay Video
August 8, 2023 5:54 PM
BATON ROUGE - Extreme heat warnings are not to be taken lightly. Since June 1, there have be 17 days of heat warnings. Tuesday marked a fifth day in a row for August. Watch live newscasts here On Tuesday, the Louisiana Department of Health told WBRZ that 16... more »
Ascension gun store heist linked to gang activity; 2 suspects captured in different parishesPlay Video
July 31, 2023 5:11 PM
PRAIRIEVILLE - Investigators believe a break-in at an Ascension Parish gun store last week was linked to gang activity. On Wednesday, the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office announced that two people linked to the heist had been arrested in two different parishes this past week. Darrell Morris, 22, was found... more »
Officer previously convicted over violent run-in with teen now arrested on stalking charge
July 21, 2023 4:51 PM
JACKSON - An officer who was convicted of battery earlier this year after he roughed up a teenager back in 2021 was arrested again Friday in a stalking investigation. The West Feliciana Parish Sheriff's Office told WBRZ on Friday that Travis Clay Depew, 27, was booked on one count... more »
Driver led police on 150mph chase before deadly helicopter crash; suspect booked for manslaughterPlay Video
March 26, 2023 1:11 PM
ERWINVILLE - A man who fled police in Baton Rouge, triggering a high-speed chase that spilled into West Baton Rouge Parish, is facing manslaughter charges after the pursuit led to a helicopter crash that killed two officers. On Monday, the Baton Rouge Police Department identified the officers killed as... more »
Suspect spent months on the run after Louisiana killing, later arrested 1,500 miles away
November 2, 2022 1:40 PM
BOGALUSA - A Texas man implicated in a deadly drive-by shooting in south Louisiana was arrested in another state Tuesday after spending over two months evading law enforcement. The Bogalusa Police Department said the suspect, 22-year-old Christian Myers, was one of at least three people involved in the Aug.... more »
No lifeguard on duty when toddler from Port Allen drowned at Margaritaville resortPlay Video
May 23, 2022 10:56 AM
BILOXI, Miss. - A 2-year-old from Louisiana drowned in a hotel swimming pool at Biloxi's Margaritaville resort Sunday. According to WLOX , the child was rushed to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead around 5 p.m. that same day. No other details on what led to... more »
Tanger Outlets shoplifters made off with over $2k in merchandise
April 21, 2022 1:12 PM
GONZALES - Deputies are looking for two people who stole thousands of dollars worth of items from a clothing store at an Ascension Parish strip mall. The theft happened around 7 p.m. April 15 at the Ralph Lauren Polo shop at Tanger Outlets. The Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office said... more »
Historic Mardi Gras celebrations return to New RoadsPlay Video
March 1, 2022 2:10 PM
NEW ROADS - One of the state's longest running Mardi Gras traditions returned in full force on Tuesday. The Community Center of Pointe Coupee parade and Lions Club parade are running back-to-back through New Roads starting at 11 a.m.. The parades run through New Roads' downtown district and are... more »
Baton Rouge rescinds R. Kelly's 'key to the city' after conviction in sex trafficking case
September 30, 2021 3:09 PM
BATON ROUGE - R. Kelly's key to Baton Rouge, a symbolic honor bestowed upon the musician eight years ago, has been rescinded after his conviction in a high-profile sex crimes case. State Representative C. Denise Marcelle, who presented the singer with the key in February 2013, confirmed Thursday that... more »
Man found shot to death outside his apartment near O'Neal LanePlay Video
September 7, 2021 1:02 PM
BATON ROUGE - A man was found shot dead outside his apartment near O'Neal Lane late Tuesday morning. The incident was reported shortly before noon on Yorkfield Drive at King Bradford Drive. One person was found dead at the scene. The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office identified the... more »
Off-duty officer killed in Houston shooting was Southern alumnus
August 23, 2021 12:14 PM
HOUSTON - An off-duty New Orleans police officer killed in an attempted robbery outside a Texas restaurant over the weekend was also a beloved member of the Southern University community. On Monday, the university released a statement calling Officer Everett Briscoe a "dedicated and proud alumnus," adding that he... more »
New Orleans will require vaccine or negative COVID test to enter restaurants, venues
August 12, 2021 2:27 PM
NEW ORLEANS - The city of New Orleans will require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test to enter most businesses and venues, including the Superdome. Mayor Latoya Cantrell announced the new rules Thursday, saying they'll go into effect on Aug. 16. The new policy makes New Orleans... more »
Woman released from hospital days after being shot in deadly weekend rampage
August 5, 2021 4:34 PM
BATON ROUGE - One of three people shot during a man's crime spree in which he stabbed his grandmother to death was released from the hospital Thursday. Rachel Tullos and her mother, Debbie, were shot in the parking lot of a shopping center on Highland Road Sunday morning. The... more »
Prairieville man wanted for multiple felonies left scene of deadly crash Monday morning
August 2, 2021 5:44 PM
PRAIRIEVILLE - State troopers are asking for the public's help in finding a fugitive who is wanted for multiple felonies. Louisiana State Police said they are searching for 26-year-old Levi Mitchell from Prairieville. Deputies say August 2 around 11:30 a.m. Mitchell fled the scene of a deadly crash... more »
LSU medical school students respond to emergency on plane
June 26, 2021 5:49 PM
BATON ROUGE - Two LSU medical students aided a medical emergency on a flight overseas. According to LSU Health Sciences, Heather Duplessis and Lauren Bagneris responded to a medical emergency while on a plane to Greece. The LSU Health New Orleans students helped a female passenger who became... more »
Company based in Livingston Parish helping fight chemical fire in Illinois
June 15, 2021 5:48 PM
ROCKTON, Ill.- A Louisiana firefighting company plans to spray fire-resistant foam over a chemical fire in northern Illinois. Fires broke out in Rockton, Illinois at Chemtool Inc. on Monday morning near a river that supplies the town with drinking water. US Fire Pump, an emergency response team based... more »
Crews reopen cut at Alligator Bayou RoadPlay Video
May 24, 2021 4:02 PM
UPDATE: Ascension President Clint Cointment announced Monday the cut was reopened after it was closed over the weekend due to heavy rain. This is a breaking update. Read the original story below. ------ PRAIRIEVILLE - Ascension officials cut into Alligator Bayou Road Friday to help alleviate high... more »
