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Scarlett Brown said she was seeking help for her brother, Dwight Brown, because he wasa suffering from PTSD, a mental health condition triggered by terrifying events, after serving 10 years in the U.S. Army with Iraq tours.
Hours before Dwight Brown was shot and killed by law enforcement in Abbeville, she had filled out the proper paperwork at the coroner’s office to get him help.
“I had just gone to seek help for him as he had been having some rough days,” Scarlett said. “He was a father of two boys, son, brother, and friend of many. He was loved and had a heart of gold. “
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a disorder that develops in some people who have experienced a shocking, scary, or dangerous event.
Dwight Brown was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon when a Vermilion Parish Sheriff Deputy and Abbeville Police officers attempted to serve an order of protective custody at Brown’s home.
An order of protective custody is a document signed by a judge or coroner, used to commit a person with mental health problems or substance abuse issues to a treatment facility or the coroner’s officer for an immediate examination and treatment. The order can be requested by law enforcement or another “credible person,” such as a relative if they believe the person is “in need of immediate treatment to protect the person or others from physical harm,” according to Louisiana law.
During the shooting exchange, a Sheriff’s deputy was also shot and taken to a Lafayette hospital, where the deputy is expected to recover. The Louisiana State Police has not released the name of the deputy that was shot.
Brown’s residence was in the 1300 block of Greene Avenue and Schlessinger Street.
A body camera and dash-camera footage show the officers arriving at Brown’s home.
Shortly after arrival, the deputy and officers came under fire from the suspect and they took cover at a patrol vehicle. The deputy was then struck by one of the shots from the suspect. As Brown stood in the roadway allegedly aiming a rifle at the deputy and officers, the deputy returned fire, striking and fatally wounding the suspect, the Louisiana State Police said.
The Louisiana State Police Crime Lab is processing the scene. The shooting is an active investigation and updates will be released as they become available.
Brown, an Abbeville High graduate, was four years older than Scarlett.
She said that over the last two months, her brother’s illness was getting worse. She saw him have good days and bad days. However, the last two weeks, Dwight Brown was having more bad days than good days, she said.
“He was not himself,” said Scarlett. “I called our mom, and I mentioned to her that we should try to get him some help.”

Shamona Alfred kept alive a March 1 family tradition Monday when she loaded up her car and family in Lafayette and drove to Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, managed by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF). Every year when the refuge opens for recreational fishing on March 1, Alfred finds a place along the banks to fish and crab.
Rockefeller is closed from Dec. 1-March 1 each year to allow waterfowl, other birds and wildlife to remain undisturbed.
“The earliest I can remember doing this was when I was 5 or 6 years old,’’ said Alfred, now 42. “We would load up into several cars and come out on March 1, opening day. It was just a wonderful family day. And we always did well. I can remember my dad saying, ‘The fish haven’t eaten since December when they closed it down. So it’ll be a good fishing day.’ It always has been.’’
It certainly was Monday. Alfred said she, along with four other members of her family, caught several dozen crabs, several drum and reds. She was most proud of a bull drum she landed, she said.
“I can’t ever remember having a bad day on March 1 when we’ve come here,’’ Alfred said. “It wasn’t too crowded today and I guess that was because it was a Monday.’’
It was also the first day the refuge reopened to the public for recreational fishing since August 29, 2020, when Rockefeller, along with much of southwest Louisiana, suffered massive destruction from the landfall of Hurricane Laura.
“Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge is such a Louisiana treasure,’’ said LDWF Secretary Jack Montoucet. “We’re glad to have it reopened so folks like Ms. Alfred can enjoy the great fishing opportunity that it offers. Our awesome team at Rockefeller worked long hours, days and months to restore as much as they could and they did so while repairing the damage to their own homes and property. I’m so proud of them all.’’
Alfred said she was concerned the refuge wouldn’t be ready but was glad last week when she learned it would be, at least, partially reopened. Much damage remains and repairs are ongoing. But the LDWF staff at Rockefeller has worked diligently since the hurricane’s strike – and after Hurricane Delta, which hit on Oct. 9, 2020 – to repair and restore the refuge
Although many public fishing areas, including piers and boat docks, reopened Monday, there are some areas that remain closed or restricted because of ongoing repairs. Signage identifying those areas is posted and users are asked to obey all restrictions. LDWF’s enforcement division is actively monitoring the area.
“We’re glad that we’ve been able to open the refuge because we understand how much the public enjoys the great outdoor opportunities Rockefeller provides,’’ said Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge Manager Scooter Trosclair. “However, folks need to be aware there are still repairs being done. It’s important the visitors heed the signs around the refuge warning them of the possible dangers.’’
Alfred said it was a delight to return Monday and she can’t wait to come next year.
“I have a grandson who is five months old so he wasn’t able to come today,’’ Alfred said. “But he’ll be out here next year and I can’t wait to bring him.’’
Since 1983, regulated sport fishing has been permitted on certain parts of the refuge. Abundant fish and shellfish populations provide outstanding recreational opportunities to fishermen seeking shrimp, crab, red drum, speckled trout, black drum and largemouth bass, among others.
Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, which consists of 71,000 acres, borders the Gulf of Mexico for 26.5 miles and extends inland toward the Grand Chenier ridge, a stranded beach ridge, six miles from the Gulf. For more information on Rockefeller, visit https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/rockefeller-wildlife-refuge.

BATON ROUGE — The LSU AgCenter is surveying agricultural producers to estimate damage totals resulting from last month’s freezing weather.
The recent freezing weather came just as farmers were getting back on their feet from last year’s disastrous hurricane season.
Kurt Guidry, LSU AgCenter economist, said he is compiling information for a report on how the freeze has affected agriculture, and he is sending out emails for a survey to make estimates.
Most of the losses he’s heard about involve livestock, particularly in north Louisiana. The storm came as cows were in the middle of calving season, and many newborns did not survive the cold.
Guidry also has gotten reports of damage to the horticulture industry, including significant damage in the Forest Hill area.
Michael Polozola, LSU AgCenter horticulturist, said some Forest Hill nurseries may have lost half their crop.
“Many had more damage from this storm than they had from the hurricanes last year,” he said.
Damages for some were minor, he said, but totaled into the millions of dollars for others.
He said his survey so far has shown more than 175 structures were damaged, and many more are still being reported. The first wave of damage occurred with heavy sleet that was followed by an ice storm.
Plants that weren’t contained in a structure were damaged.
“A lot of these plants were still in dormancy,” he said. “As they emerge, we’ll find out if they are able to sustain growth.”
Some growers were able to cover their plants, but even some covered plants didn’t survive, he said.
Polozola said nursery owners usually would spend February getting ready for the busy spring season. But they’ve had to divert their efforts to freeze preparations and, now, recovery.
Poultry losses were reported in Natchitoches, Arcadia and Farmerville.
“It’s a bad situation,” said Jason Holmes, LSU AgCenter regional livestock specialist based in Farmerville.
Several poultry facilities collapsed under the weight of ice and snow, killing thousands of birds, he said. Also, feed mill operations were frozen for several days, but deliveries could not be made anyway because of icy roads.
The losses include breeder chickens that produce birds for maintaining flocks or establishing new ones.
“When you start to lose breeders, that affects everything down the chain,” Holmes said.
He said it’s unlikely that consumer prices will be affected because the poultry industry in other states, such as Arkansas, is significantly larger and has a bigger effect on the marketplace.
“In the scheme of things, we’re a smaller player,” he said.
Holmes said many of the cattle in Louisiana are Brahman influenced, and they are more suited for hot weather than freezing temperatures.
“We’re not structured for calving in that weather,” he said.
Cattle producers had difficulty providing adequate water for their herds as troughs and ponds froze. Sledgehammers and shotguns came in handy to break ice, he said.
Vince Deshotel, LSU AgCenter regional livestock agent based in Opelousas, said calf losses were common. He lost two in his own herd.
The cold also was stressful on mature cattle.
“I see some stress in my cattle,” he said. “I’m hoping they’ll come out of it in a few days. They lost weight. There’s no question about it.”
Producers scrambled for five days to get hay to their animals, he said, and the cost of hay and supplements probably cost producers $25 to $50 per animal in extra expenses.
He said winter forages were damaged by the cold, but warm temperatures are helping grass recover.
Deshotel said Louisiana cattle operations aren’t structured for severe cold weather. Back when square hay bales were used, the bales were housed in sheds that could be used for feeding and shelter in bad weather, he said. Most of today’s larger round bales are stored outdoors, eliminating the need for sheds.
He said now may be a good time to wean fall calves to alleviate mother cows’ stress from providing milk.
The cold snap hit before planting season for most row crops. The impact to the state’s wheat crop should be minimal, Guidry said.
The cold forced crawfish to retreat into dormancy at the start of Lent, but the crop is expected to return to normal.
“The milder temperatures this coming week will make crawfish more active, and they will be more available,” said Mark Shirley, LSU AgCenter aquaculture specialist.
Kenneth Gravois, LSU AgCenter sugarcane specialist, is optimistic the damage is not too severe. Like most severe weather events, he said, it may take a while before a complete and accurate assessment can be made.
There could be a silver lining from the freeze, however. LSU AgCenter experts said at a recent crop consultants meeting that some diseases and insects that damage crops could be suppressed by the unusually cold temperatures.

On March 3, at approximately 10:46 p.m, the Vermilion Parish Sheriff's Office was dispatched to assist Kaplan Police Department with regards to a subject wielding lawn mower blades at 2705 N. Herpin St. in Kaplan.
While VPSO patrol division is en route to assist, call received of shots fired at same location.  VPSO Detectives responded and are currently obtaining information as to the sequence of events which took place leading to the shooting. 
A preliminary investigation indicated that Kaplan P.D. responded to 2705 N Herpin St. at approximately 10:12 p.m. on March 3, in reference to a disturbance. Shortly after departing the first call, officers returned a second time for a crash at the residence.
When KPD officers responded the second time, they observed the suspect/victim, Larry Litwiler Jr., wielding two lawn mower blades and damaging vehicles at the residence. As KPD officers attempted to de-escalate the situation, Litwiler Jr. began advancing on officers. Two KPD officers fired their duty weapons, striking Litwiler Jr.
Larry Litwiler Jr. was transported to a local hospital with non life threatening injuries.
The investigation is still in the early stages and additional information will be forthcoming as the investigation moves forward.