IDs sought from video

• By KIMBERLY VETTER
• Advocate staff writer
• Published: Jul 16, 2009 - Page: 1B

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Police are trying to identify people who brandish weapons and drugs in a video called “Thuggin It & Lovin It,” which purportedly portrays life in certain Baton Rouge and Port Allen neighborhoods.

Officers also are looking for people firing weapons in the video. The men pointed guns in the air and fired several times.

According to the video, one of the gun-firing scenes was filmed in the parking lot of Brandywine Condominiums on Darryl Drive, where at least four people have been killed during the past three years.

“We are looking into whether any laws were broken on the video,” said Cpl. L’Jean McKneely, “We also are trying to identify some of the people in the video.”

Laws that might have been broken in the video include firing a weapon in the city limits, possession of illegal drugs and felon in possession of a firearm, McKneely said. Investigators also want to make sure the guns shown in the video are not stolen.

Police started investigating the video — produced by Troy “Triggerman” Route of Millionaire Entertainment — about two weeks ago after hearing from concerned viewers, McKneely said.

Varlon Route of Millionaire Entertainment declined comment other than to say the video was made for entertainment purposes only.

At the beginning of the video, a disclaimer says “all events, situations and props displayed on this DVD are performed by professional actors. This DVD is for entertainment use only.”

The actors’ names were not listed in the video’s credits.

Noel Jackson, who owns Music Treasure Chest on Acadian Thruway where the video is sold, said he doesn’t believe the people in the video are actors.

“There are no actors in there,” he said. “That is real.”

Jackson has sold more than 100 copies of “Thuggin It & Lovin It” since he started selling the video June 5. The store owner said he sold out of the video Wednesday morning after portions of it were played on various news stations the previous evening.

“We sold out as soon as the doors opened,” said Jackson, who was expecting another shipment of the video Wednesday afternoon.