BATON ROUGE - The mayor-president's office announced that it would transform a Baton Rouge Police Department evidence warehouse that was used as a make-shift interrogation site into a community center. 

WBRZ first reported on the BRAVE Cave in 2023 after an officer was put on leave amid an investigation into what happened inside the warehouse adjacent to BRPD's First District. The space was primarily used by BRPD's now-defunct Street Crimes unit. 

Attorney Ryan Thompson, who is handling four Street Crimes unit-related lawsuits, told WBRZ that his clients were beaten, strip-searched or shocked with a taser inside the warehouse. 

"What's happening here should have never happened. This is a torture warehouse, this is a black site. And it meets all the definitions of that," Thompson told WBRZ after going inside the facility in March 2024. A black site is defined as a location never publicly acknowledged as existing, where secret military and defense operations are conducted without oversight.

The mayor's office hopes to transform the site into a community center, partnering with YWCA to make it happen.

"We are partnering with YWCA to transform that facility into a community space that serves and supports local residents. We want to take it from a place of tragedy to a place of healing," spokesperson Falon Brown said.

Thompson said that the proposal is concerning. 

"Any talks of destroying a crime scene is very disturbing. Furthermore, any talks being had about repurposing the B.R.A.V.E Cave should not be happening without input from the victims and the community," he said.