Online posts put out false story to public
By KEVIN CHIRI
Slidell news bureau
SLIDELL – Incorrect stories that circulated on social media last week about a homicide at John Slidell Park were another example of erroneous online posts that led to false rumors in the city, Slidell Police Public Information Officer Det. Daniel Seuzeneau confirmed.
A major police presence that blocked John Slidell Park on the morning of Thursday, March 10 led a few Facebook posters to quickly raise the question about a possible “murder at the park.”
That information couldn’t have been further from the truth, said Seuzeneau, since the lockdown of the park was due to the suicide there of a 62-year-old man.
Additionally, the tragic incident did not occur anywhere near the kids playground or ball fields as the Slidell man took his life next to a picnic bench near the front entrance to the park.
St. Tammany Coroner Dr. Charles Preston confirmed this week that the suicide occurred from a gunshot wound.
Police were notified at approximately mid-morning by a park worker of a man lying on the ground next to the picnic table.
“He was noticed early in the morning and the worker thought he was sleeping,” said Chief Randy Fandal. “Then when he saw him an hour or so later in the same position he called us.”
Police immediately blocked the entrance to the park, then with added SPD cars and first responders showing up, anyone driving past the area would have easily wondered what the large police presence was about. It didn’t take long for rumors to begin circulating that there was a homicide there.