Warning Goes Viral on Facebook After Incident at Lafayette Grocery Store

Lafayette, Louisiana—Women have taken to Facebook to share their experiences at a local Target in hopes that it could help raise awareness for other people in the area. This is not the first time we've heard of women specifically being targeted and put in uncomfortable situations by complete strangers.

This incident has raised concerns about safety after reports of a man attempting to enter a woman's vehicle surfaced online Monday, August 8th.

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Eyewitnesses reported that a man tried to open the door of a woman's car after she had entered the car. Luckily she saw the man coming and was able to get the doors locked before he attempted to force his way into her car. She was able to prevent this potentially dangerous situation from escalating further but the next woman might not be as lucky.

While this situation ended without any physical harm being done, it serves as a reminder for women to remain cautious and take the necessary step to protect themselves. While women are typically targeted it's important that men are made aware of these types of situations so they can be on the lookout for any behavior that looks suspicious.

The Importance of Personal Safety:

This incident highlights the importance of personal safety awareness especially if you go to busy public spaces alone. These types of situations happen just as often in broad daylight as they do after the sun goes down.

After reading Devon's post-Keely felt compelled to share her story which details another scary encounter at the same Target store just two days before.

The Lafayette Police Department has been notified but nothing has been confirmed at this time.

Tips to consider when going places alone:

1. Stay Alert: always be aware of your surroundings especially when entering or exiting your vehicle. Avoid cellphone use to limit distractions so you can react if need be.

2. Lock Your Doors: As the incident illustrates, locking your car doors can be the quickest and most effective way to prevent harm to yourself or your children. Get in the habit of immediately locking your doors upon entering your vehicle before checking your phone or messing with your radio.

3. Trust Your Instincts: Always trust your gut instinct. If you feel uncomfortable or sense something something is off don't second guess yourself. Instead, go back inside and ask a worker to escort you to your car because you feel unsafe. You may feel silly for asking but chances are the worker will be more than happy to walk you to your car and this is a simple way to prevent the worst from happening if your instincts happen to be right.