Don’t Forget to Say His Name Too, Trayford Pellerin

There was another Black man murdered by the police this weekend, and his name should be receiving national attention as well.

TrayFord Pellerin, 31, was shot 11 times in the back by the Lafayette Police just as he almost entered a Circle K store in Lafayette, Louisiana, on August 22^nd.

The events leading up to Trayford Pellerin’s death are still unclear, but a shared cellphone video on social media shows TrayFord briskly walking with the police in tow trying to get him to stop. TrayFord keeps going, heading for the door of the store, which is considered a safe haven for the community. The cops shout more commands and taser him. Then suddenly shots ring out.

In the video, one of the young ladies recording says Pellerin had a knife, but that has not been confirmed.

Baton Rouge activist, Gary Chambers Jr. sat down with the Pellerin’s mother Michelle, Aunt Choicey, and their attorney Ron Haley.

From the sit-down, we gathered that the police thought Pellerin was somehow involved in a domestic incident that occurred at another Circle K store. The police say that they were concerned with Pellerin harming someone in the store since he allegedly had a knife. Still, an eye witness who spoke with Attorney Haley says that they (the witness) were heading to the door to let Pellerin in because he knew him and wanted to help him get to safety.

“I would like to see them terminated- not suspended with pay, terminated, and prosecuted, and I’m looking for policy changes. Something has to be done. It was different alternative means that could have taken place before unloading ten plus shots,” Pellerin’s aunt, Choicey says.

Haley also shared that Lafayette mayor, Josh Guillory, has been insensitive to the family’s pain and hasn’t reached out to them but instead has been gaslighting Pellerin in his death.

Pellerin’s family describe him as someone who “enjoyed cutting hair. He loved cooking enjoy spending time with his family. It had any evil bone in his body. He will take the shirt, the clothes off his back to give others. He was just a sweet kid.”

The Acadiana Advocate reports Lafayette’s interim police chief, Scott Morgan says that “Friday night marked the third shooting a Lafayette Police Department officer in the past five or so weeks.” 

None of the officers involved have been named, but one has been said to now be on paid leave. 

To support Pellerin’s family in their time of need, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/mc6ws6-justice-for-trayford-pellerin.