Louisiana police said a woman was able to take away a sharp weapon from a sex offender who was attacking her at a laundromat and that she proceeded to stab him to death.
The alleged attacker had been released from prison in December, only two and half months before the attack.
St. Tammany Parish deputies said the attack unfolded on Sunday when 40-year-old Nicholas Tranchant walked into the the Laundry Room’ near Lacombe with a sharp weapon.
He allegedly attacked a woman who was doing her laundry, but she fought back and was able to wrestle away his weapon. She then stabbed him with the weapon.
When deputies arrived, they thought she had been stabbed, but they quickly realized she had been able to stab her attacker.
Tranchant was transported to a hospital, where he later died. The woman was also transported to a hospital, where she received treatment. She is expected to fully recover.
The alleged attacker was convicted in 2003 of indecent behavior with juveniles and then convicted in 2008 of attempted aggravated rape and aggravated burglary.
WWL-TV reported that Tranchant lived less than a mile away from the laundromat according to his registered address and he had met with his parole officer 11 times. He had been following the conditions of his release, according to the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections.
Sheriff Randy Smith praised the valor of the victim in a statement.
“I want to compliment this brave woman on the courage and strength she showed in fighting back against her attacker and ask for prayers for her continued recovery,” he said.
Lacombe resident Gwen Batiste told WVUE-TV that she had planned to be at the same laundromat at about the same time but was delayed.
“I got tied up and I didn’t get there. When I came through, I’d seen all the police and everything and started hearing things,” she said. “I went to Mandeville. I felt safer driving in the middle of the night to Mandeville than I did going right here less than half a mile from my home.”
She says she’s worried about her granddaughter walking to school in the area.
“I understand everybody’s done their time, but when you hurt a woman, you hurt a child, there is no ‘you’ve done your time’ and it’s over with,” she added. “It’s pretty sad and we need to bond together and get rid of these pedophiles and sex offenders. It’s become normal around here and it shouldn’t be.”
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