Less than two weeks after Baton Rouge police shot and killed Alton Sterling in a viral video incident that left the nation outraged, a gunman shot and killed three law enforcement officers in the Louisiana city early this morning, leaving three other officers injured.
Police were responding to a call of a “suspicious person walking down Airline Highway with an assault rifle,” according to CNN.
The gunman then opened fire, striking Baton Rouge police officers and East Baton Rouge Parish sheriff’s deputies, according to initial reports.
The gunman is also said to be dead.
UPDATE 12:11 p.m. There are reports that there may have been more than one shooter, possibly three shooters. And it’s not clear if they are dead or in custody at this time.
UPDATE 12:38 p.m. Two gunmen are said to be still on the loose and one is confirmed dead.
UPDATE 1:26 p.m. A video posted to Twitter captures part of the shootout between cops and gunmen. At the end of the video, it sounds like one cop orders the man to get off the telephone. Also, instead of four officers injured, police are now reporting only three injured, including at least one critically injured.
UPDATE 2:29 p.m. Another video from a witness is posted below. Police say two people have been brought into the station for questioning but have not confirmed if they are actual suspects, witnesses or persons of interest.
NEW: Video of alleged shots fired at officers in Baton Rouge https://t.co/gwv4VmRqse https://t.co/7HGD5AuECW
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 17, 2016
dk how to save the live video but , yeah here it go we was on the way to church . pic.twitter.com/qYl9dVRoVS
— #BLM (@JADAANOPINKETT) July 17, 2016
UPDATE 2:50 p.m. Below is an audio recording from the 911 via The Advocate.
“Shots fired, officer down, shots fired, officer down!” an officer could be heard yelling. “Got a city officer down, shots fired! Shots fired on Airline!”
Officers initially could not determine where the shots were coming from.
“I don’t know where he’s f*** shooting from,” one yelled.
“We do not have a 40 on the shooter, he is not in sight, possibly a sniper,” an officer said. “We need the Bear Cat!”
The armored vehicles were apparently used to safely collect and transport officers who had been shot.
Then an injured officer can be heard: “I’m hit, left arm.”
Within 10 minutes, an officer was on his way to the hospital.
A few seconds after that, they officers spotted what they described as a “second” shooter.
“We have eyes on a subject,” he said.
At that point there was another frantic call of an “officer down.”
A call went out for the Bear Cat to collect the officer who had been shot.
They described a suspect wearing a mask: “One subject, all black carrying an A-R.”
UPDATE 3:55 p.m. One of the three slain officers was named Montrell Jackson and he had just become a father.
This is a developing story that we will be updating throughout the day. Please refrain from saying anything on social media that may get you arrested.
#BatonRouge shooting:
• 3 U.S. officers confirmed dead
• 7 were shot & injured
• It’s an ‘active working scene.’https://t.co/PtHMvfFdEO
— CNN (@CNN) July 17, 2016
LSU Police armed with rifles several blocks away from the scene @WBRZpic.twitter.com/VhkqfMOpOd
— Michael Vinsanau (@MVinsanau) July 17, 2016
UPDATE 11:00 p.m. Police say the man who shot and killed the three officers if a U.S. Marine veteran named Gavin Long.
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