By Pat Culverhouse

A verbal confrontation in a north Webster Parish tavern late Monday escalated to gunfire, leaving one man with a non-life threatening wound and another facing a firearm-related charge.

Springhill Chief of Police Will Lynd said 68-year-old Webster Parish resident Joe Troquille has been charged with illegal use of a firearm during an act of violence and is being held in the Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center. The shooting victim was reportedly transported to Ochsner LSU Health in Shreveport for treatment of a single gunshot wound.

Lynd said the incident began sometime around 10 p.m. Monday when Troquille entered Stateline Bar on U.S. 371 in Springhill where he became involved in a verbal confrontation with a woman and her husband. 

“An altercation between the older gentleman and a couple inside the bar turned from verbal to fists, and blows were exchanged,” Lynd said. “Mr. Troquille retrieved a .380 caliber handgun and fired shots at the couple he had been fighting.”

Lynd said the female was grazed by one shot, while the man was struck once in the lower torso.  According to evidence gathered during the investigation into the shooting, Troquille apparently was inebriated at the time of the incident, the chief said.

Juveniles arrested in string of business burglaries

Springhill police were also able to solve a series of business burglaries with the arrest of four juveniles, Lynd reported. 

“We’ve had several store break-ins over the past week and we arrested four kids on Monday and charged them with the burglaries,” he said.

According to Lynd, the four are seventh- and eighth-graders at local schools.  Three of the juveniles have been charged with four counts of burglary; one has been charged with a single count.