A deadly shooting at a Baton Rouge red light has shaken Louisiana, setting off a political and public safety firestorm as President Donald Trump signals he may send federal troops into the state to restore order.
Nineteen-year-old Roderick Forkner, a Southern University freshman, was gunned down early Monday at Government Street and South Foster Drive. According to Baton Rouge police, another car pulled up alongside Forkner’s vehicle and opened fire, killing him instantly and injuring his passenger.
The attack was caught on video and has reignited fears about spiraling crime in Louisiana’s capital.
“This was an ambush,” one witness told WAFB Channel 9. “He never even had a chance to drive off.”
Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sid Edwards announced he’s considering a citywide curfew, admitting that violent crime has become a “crisis we can’t ignore.”
“All options are on the table,” Edwards told Fox News Digital. “President Trump has indicated he is considering sending federal troops to Louisiana. If he decides to deploy them to Baton Rouge, I welcome that support. Any assistance that protects our residents and aids local law enforcement is appreciated.”
Edwards also hinted at new policies to hold parents accountable for minors involved in crime, underscoring a growing frustration among city officials.
Speaking from the Oval Office on Wednesday, President Trump addressed the violence directly.
“Do we go to Chicago, or do we go to a place like New Orleans — where we have a great governor, Jeff Landry, who wants us to come in and straighten out a very nice section of this country that’s become quite tough, quite bad?” Trump said.
He didn’t mince words about his intentions.
“We will straighten that out in about two weeks,” Trump vowed. “It’ll take us two weeks. Easier than D.C.”
Trump has repeatedly criticized Democrat-led cities for what he calls “lawless mismanagement,” and Baton Rouge — despite some reported drops in crime — has become the latest flashpoint.
New Orleans City Council President Helena Moreno slammed Trump’s remarks, accusing him of “politicizing public safety” and using “scare tactics” to score points.
But Republican leaders in Louisiana have rallied behind the president. Governor Jeff Landry praised Trump’s “tough stance,” saying, “We cannot sit back and watch our cities descend into chaos. Federal support will make our streets safer.”
Despite claims by Baton Rouge police that violent crime has decreased citywide, residents aren’t convinced.
“Statistics don’t bring comfort to grieving families,” Edwards admitted. “One life lost to violence is one too many.”
Forkner’s friends and classmates are now planning a vigil at Southern University to honor his life.
“This is beyond heartbreaking,” said fellow student Kayla Davis. “He had his whole future ahead of him.”
If Trump orders federal troops into Louisiana, it would mark one of the largest deployments of federal law enforcement in the state since Hurricane Katrina. The White House is expected to make a decision in the coming days.
In the meantime, Baton Rouge leaders are bracing for possible curfews, stricter policing, and a looming clash between federal and local officials over how best to address the violence.
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Anyone, especially skulls full of mush Louisiana students, are really ignorant by saying they don’t troops or help of any kind to protect them. Then when something happens, they moan, and whine, and groan about the problems they have, and do nothing but be little punk idiots..