Alexandria, LA (7/31/2025) – Just hours apart, two incidents, three men were arrested in Alexandria for a serious charge: Illegal Use of Weapons / Dangerous Instrumentalities. One arrest was broadcast to the public by press release. The other? It came and went quietly, without a word from city officials.
Why?
On July 21, the Alexandria Police Department issued a press release announcing the arrests of Austin Page (24) and Joshua Henderson (26). The men were charged in connection with a July 12 shootout near the South Traffic Circle. Police emphasized community involvement, thanked witnesses, and stated both men were booked into Rapides Parish Jail. Each was given a bond of $100,000 or more.
But just a day earlier on July 19 witnesses reported a separate shooting in broad daylight on U.S. Hwy 71/165 near Third Street. Drivers told UrbanCast a man exited his truck after a roadside argument and fired several shots into the air. APD and Rapides Parish deputies responded, blocked traffic, and reportedly detained at least one individual.
UrbanCast requested information from the Alexandria Police Department that same day. No press release was issued. No confirmation ever came.
However, booking records from the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office confirm that Michael Laurent (22) was arrested on July 19 at 8:07 PM and charged with Illegal Use of Weapons / Dangerous Instrumentalities. He was released two days later on July 21 on a $5,000 bond.
So the question becomes:
Was Laurent the individual detained in the Hwy 71/165 shooting? If not, who was? Why has no information been released? And who made the call to stay silent?
📊 Booking Comparison
| Name | Race | Booking Date | Charge | Bond | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Page | Black | 7/20/2025 | Illegal Use of Weapons, Contempt | $105,000 | 7/21/2025 |
| Joshua Henderson | Black | 7/20/2025 | Illegal Use of Weapons | $100,000 | 7/23/2025 |
| Michael Laurent | White | 7/19/2025 | Illegal Use of Weapons | $5,000 | 7/21/2025 |
On the surface, the charges are identical. The timeline nearly overlaps. But the public communication couldn’t be more different. One incident was highlighted in a formal press release with comments from APD’s Chief and a plea to the public for tips. The other was handled behind closed doors, with no acknowledgment from the city or police.
So who decides what gets shared with the public and what doesn’t?
Email Sent to UrbanCast
An email sent to UrbanCast by Alexandria Police Department’s Public Information Officer, Lt. Robert Distefano, may offer a clue. Dated July 3, 2024, the message states:
“Michael Caffery, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, coordinates all media inquiries and public relations for the City of Alexandria. To ensure the quality and consistency of information disseminated please refer any request to michael.caffery@cityofalex.com.”
In other words, the Mayor’s Office not the police department is the central authority overseeing what information is approved for public release.
This raises more questions:
- Was a press release for the Hwy 71/165 shooting ever drafted?
- If so, why was it blocked or delayed?
- Did the Mayor’s Office review and decline to release it?
- Are similar incidents being filtered out of the public narrative depending on optics?
When asked directly at a public meeting, Chief Chad Gremillion stated he wasn’t familiar with the Hwy 71 incident and added that the department “cannot issue a press release on every single thing that happens.” Mayor Jacques Roy added, “Even if the charges are the same, the facts of the incidents are not.”
But if the facts weren’t relevant to the charge what made one case press-worthy and the other not? Was it something about the suspect’s background or public perception that made one case more “release-worthy” than the other? The media outlet requesting it? The bond amount?
UrbanCast has received no response from APD or the Mayor’s Office on this matter. Our requests remain unanswered.
Previous Related:
