BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Homicides dropped 18% in East Baton Rouge Parish last year to the lowest level since 2019, but the start of 2026 has been riddled with shootings and deaths.
Cabrea Lee, who works with families during their time of grief, said the A. Hamilton Platinum Funeral Service is focusing on life after death and providing counseling to prevent retaliation.
“A lot of time when they experience their first loss, a lot of people are sad, but some people retaliate, so you need to have counselling for both ends of the stick,” Lee said.
Addressing anger and retaliation
Lee said nine times out of 10, friends, peers, and siblings are ready to retaliate after a death.
“When I’m talking to them, I’m letting them know this is the end result, you don’t want you friends, your family, your loved ones to go through this,” Lee said. “It’s unfortunate your friend had to be the eye opener, but we are going to try to make it stop today.”
Lee said the community lacks mentors, and young people need to admit when they are grieving and hurt.
“It only gets worse. You have to deal with it. That’s something you have to go to counselling for if you’re not mind strong enough for it,” Lee said.
Mayor-president emphasizes impact
EBR Mayor-President Sid Edwards, who had similar conversations with his football team at Istrouma High, said young people are looking for warmth and will do anything to get it.
“One bullet changes generations,” Edwards said. “I’m the victim, I’m shot dead, my momma, my grandma, my uncle, my sister, my classmates are affected. The trigger puller, so are yours, because this person is dead and you’re going to prison for the rest of your life.”
Edwards said Baton Rouge is behind much of the country when it comes to connecting people to mental health resources. As the city-parish faces budget cuts this year, he is putting focus on community outreach, like the work done at A. Hamilton.
“When they are on the front row, when they are pallbearers, when it’s brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, when they are on the same front row, the emotions are the same, and the only thing that can change with the young people in our community is if the resources are available,” Lee said.
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