Disclaimer: All persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
RIVER RIDGE, La. (WGNO) — What started out as a response to more than 60 vehicle burglaries at an apartment complex ended with a police chase and arrests in River Ridge overnight, according to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Joseph Lopinto reports deputies were called to the 1900 block of Cypress Creek Road, located within the Creeks of River Ridge apartment community. When they arrived, deputies encountered several people who ran away into a nearby apartment complex.
Two of those people, identified as 12-year-old and 14-year-old boys from New Orleans, were captured. Due to their ages, their identities will not be released.
We’re told the boys’ mother, 42-year-old Tiffany Broomfield, was also taken into custody after an altercation between her and deputies.
“She arrived at our detective bureau for her two sons, refusing to let them have any comment. Continued to argue with our deputies, and refused to leave, after we weren’t going to take the statements from mom. We informed her they were going to jail and that wasn’t going to happen. She we free to leave at that point. She also had several warrants and attachments and resisted arrest so she went to jail,” said Lopinto.
A third suspect got into a vehicle and tried to drive away from the scene. According to the sheriff, the suspect pointed a gun at a deputy. The deputy fired back, striking the car. It’s unknown if the suspect was injured.
After the shot was fired, Lopinto says the suspect evaded police and continued on Earhart Expressway into New Orleans. The identity of the suspect was unavailable.
We’re told that the number of victims of car burglaries has increased from 47 to 62 as of Wednesday morning.
“Just unbelievable that this time and age at two o’clock in the morning, you have a 12-year-old and a 14-year-old out there just committing burglaries with whoever. I have no clue who they are with and of course, their parents don’t know where they are,” said Sheriff Lopinto.
Detectives continue to search for the suspect and investigate the incident. Anyone with any additional information regarding the case is urged to contact the JPSO Investigations Bureau at 504-364-5300.
