Lafayette, LA– Haley and Associates et al filed a federal lawsuit against Lafayette Police Department, Lafayette Consolidated Government, Chief of Police, Scott Morgan and the four police officers who were involved in the death of Trayford Pellerin. On
August 21, 2020, a member of the Lafayette Police department responded to a complaint at the Circle K on the NE Evangeline Thruway. The caller indicated that there was a black male wearing a white shirt inside the store acting weird. The caller thought the black male might try to steal something. Another call came was made to the Lafayette Police Department ten minutes later asking if the officers was in route, because the same man was bothering customers. Shortly after that called, an unidentified patron, who was parked at the store called 911 because of the man’s behavior. When asked if the man was threatening/attacking anyone, the patron said “no.” Shortly before 7:00P.M. , a Lafayette Police Department officer arrived at the Circle K and the man had already left the premises. The unidentified man was later identified as Trayford Pellerin. The unidentified police officer commanded Pellerin to return to the parking lot of the Circle K and come to his patrol unit. Pellerin put both hands in the air.  Pellerin was not seen with a knife in his hands. The police officer did not command  Pellerin to put down a knife.  Pellerin turned away from the officer and walked away. The officer began a foot pursuit of Pellerin across the NE Evangeline Thruway. Approximately a minute and half after engaging with 
Pellerin, the responding officer pulled out a taser and commanded  Pellerin to stop.  Pellerin turned towards the officer and continued to walk backwards. No commands of “put down your knife” or “drop your weapon” was stated by the responding officer. The responding officer fired the taser at  Pellerin, but the taser did not strike  Pellerin.  Pellerin continued to walk away from the responding officer. During his walk  Pellerin fell and slipped twice, giving the responding offices ample opportunity to use non-lethal force. As Pellerin approached the shell gas station on the North Evangeline Thruway officers screamed at Pellerin to “stop” and to not go inside the store.  Pellerin was still walking away from the officers as he approached the door. Once he reached the door of the Shell station, Lafayette Police Department shot Pellerin at least 10 times. Bullets also entered walls and the door of the gas station where bystanders were present. "The responding Lafayette Police department could have deployed multiple de-escalation/non-lethal force tactics such as: pepper spray, rubber pellets, additional tasers, clubs or a K-9 (which was presentand available." Approximately 13 minutes after Mr. Pellerin was shot, he was taken to the hospital by EMS where he was eventually pronounced dead.