Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Tim Soignet announced the arrest of a Houma man following a late-night disturbance that involved gunfire. Deputies took 40-year-old Brad Lee Ratcliff into custody on multiple felony charges stemming from the incident.
According to Sheriff Soignet, the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division responded to reports of gunshots on Pitre Street shortly after 9:00 p.m. on October 22. When deputies arrived, they found officers from the Houma Police Department already speaking with an intoxicated man who appeared to be involved in the disturbance.
A nearby resident told investigators that Ratcliff had been arguing loudly before stepping outside and firing several gunshots. Deputies later identified Ratcliff as the suspect. Investigators learned that after the shooting, Ratcliff’s father arrived at the home and secured the firearm used in the incident.
Authorities confirmed that Ratcliff is a convicted felon and placed him under arrest after a brief struggle. His father surrendered the weapon, and deputies collected additional evidence confirming that gunfire had occurred.
Ratcliff was booked into the Terrebonne Parish Criminal Justice Complex on charges of Illegal Discharge of a Dangerous Weapon or Instrumentality, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Resisting an Officer. His bond was set at $100,000 by local judges.
Sheriff Soignet praised the professionalism of his deputies, stating, “Our Deputies do an incredible job when dealing with the dangers of their day-to-day encounters. I can’t say enough about how amazing our men and women are, and the level of safety they provide for our community.”
All arrested individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.