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Washington Parish Sheriff Randy Seal said Monday that drugs and sin are the cause of recent violence that has plagued the community.

A press conference was held Monday at Bogalusa City Hall, where local officials gave more information about a Saturday night shooting that left 13 people injured. When it was Seal’s time to speak, he said it was time for the people to take back their livelihoods from dark forces.

“Let’s take this city back,” he said. “Satan has taken over in Bogalusa, and it’s time that we take it back.”

Seal said that the violence Saturday was just one example of the negative consequences that can thrive under the cloud of drug abuse.

“That’s what this is all about,” he said. “It’s about drugs, it’s about mean-ness, it’s about sin.

“Washington Parish and Bogalusa’s better than this. I’m embarrassed that our people are behaving in this manner.”

The sheriff noted that he understands people are upset and may be compelled to march and protest, but it would be much more productive to let the police know any pertinent information.

“I’m all for walking, all for protesting,” he said. “But all of that is like a little pig’s tail. It’s real cute, but it don’t produce much more pork. If we’re going to walk, let’s walk to church.

“The only way that we’re going to turn this city around, is to tell who did this. Look, telling on a crime is not ratting. It’s doing the right thing. And we’re going to have to preach in our pulpits that telling of a crime is not ratting off, it’s doing the right thing.”

Any member of the public who has any information about Saturday’s shooting is asked to call the BPD’s police headquarters at 985-732-3611, or the detectives division at 985-732-6240.