PIERRE PART — Assumption Parish Sheriff Leland Falcon told WBRZ on Wednesday that what has been described as a racially motivated Pierre Part shooting this month "is not a reflection of our community." 

Falcon was among three people injured in a shooting in front of a Bayou Drive home in Pierre Part on Oct. 16. Paul Blanchard, 60, allegedly shot at Chris Haynes, a Black man, after calling him racial slurs and invading the house where Haynes and three other people were.

According to State Police, Blanchard will be arrested on two counts of attempted first-degree murder, three counts of aggravated assault with a firearm and one count each of aggravated assault on a police officer, aggravated burglary and hate crimes once he is released from the hospital. 

Falcon said that he was in Pierre Part that day when he received the call of someone threatening to shoot someone in front of a home, and later met one of his deputies in front of the Bayou Drive home.

“I just finished being with a constituent. I got a phone call that that was the incident,” Falcon said. “So I responded, along with the deputy. The event kind of evolved from there.”

The deputies tried to talk to Blanchard while he sat with a rifle across his lap on his porch. Blanchard then shot at him, the sheriff recalled. 

“He decided to raise the gun and fire a shot,” Falcon said. “The deputy then returned fire before he could get a second shot off.”

Even after being shot, the sheriff did not have the bullet removed because it did not hit any major arteries, he said, instead receiving antibiotics and going back to work. 

“There’s a big wooden fence with a gate around that took the brunt of the shot, it did provide some cover,” Falcon said.

Falcon said he never expected something like this to happen, especially having Blanchard point a gun at him because the sheriff has known the Blanchard family for years and has never had issues with them. 

“It’s definitely not a reflection of these family members or this extended family, knowing them and known them for years,” he said.

He said the violence that day does not reflect the values of the community.

“You know our people, they open the door, invite you in and tell you come sit down and have a cup of coffee. That’s our community, regardless of what area you go to,” Falcon said. 

Falcon added that both Haynes and Blanchard are expected to make full recoveries.