Police Chief: SMPD fired no shots

PHOTO: DEQUINCY LEWIS

The tragic murder of a young woman just out of college early Sunday took became even uglier when a security guard at the event claimed he saw a police officer fire the shot that killed 23-year-old Bianca Davis and then scoop up his ejected cartridge cases to hide his actions.
St. Martinville Chief of Police Calder Hebert said none of the SMPD officers on the scene to break up after-party fights fired any shots.
He said the bullet that killed Davis, who was attempting to drive away from the melee, will be examined by the crime lab.
Both SMPD and Louisiana State Police are investigating the incident, which occurred after a youth party in a club at South Main and Dernier streets here. State Police said they are not investigating a police-involved shooting.
The security guard who told news reporters he saw a police officer fire the fatal shot was identified as Dequincy Lewis, 24.
In August of last year, Lewis has been arrested and charged with multiple counts of attempted murder after six people were shot in the parking lot of Simmi’s Mart at South Main and West Hyacinth. The charges are apparently still pending although Lewis was released without bond on a writ of habeas corpus in October. Assistant District Attorney Chester Cedars was out of his office Tuesday and could not be reached for clarification.
Suspects in the Davis murder are Jakil and Jamir Sophus, 18-year-old twins from New Iberia. They were booked into the St. Martin Parish Correctional Center on suspicion of 2nd degree murder and two counts of attempted 2nd degree murder (Jamir Sophus), and attempted 1st degree murder and aggravated 2nd degree battery (Jakil Sophus).
Davis was a point guard for the UL Ragin’ Cajuns and the Lady Wildcats of Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, where she graduated in May. She was employed by the City of Breaux Bridge as director of the city’s sports camp and was leaving a private, non-alcohol party for youths the Casino Lounge on South Main when fights broke out in a crowd that had gathered outside.
Officers called to the scene to control the crowd sprayed the combatants with pepper spray just before the shooting, Chief Hebert said.
Darnel Wiltz, Davis’ sister, lives just down the street from the club and was at the party with her children. She told reporters that Davis was killed as she attempted to drive away from the fighting with three teens in the car with her. A bullet penetrated the rear passenger window, slightly wounding a 14-year-old in the arm and then striking Davis in the head.
Dequincy Lewis, who was identified in TV news accounts as a security guard for the party, said he saw a police office shoot Davis.
“He wasn’t aiming to shoot at anybody,” Lewis said. “He was shooting wildly thinking he was shooting at the people shooting at that truck but he made a mistake and hit that girl.”
Lewis also said the officer tried to collect the casings ejected by his service weapon.