By Patrick Sloan Turner
The Advocate, Baton Rouge, La.
BATON ROUGE — Two deputies were shot Thursday morning in a confrontation that left the shooter dead, the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office said.
One of the deputies was struck in his bulletproof vest and is OK, the Sheriff’s Office said. The other was shot in the lower abdomen below his vest, taken to a hospital and was in serious but stable condition.
The Sheriff’s Office said the deputies’ names will not be released due to their undercover status.
Click below to see part one of the body-warn camera footage.
Around 10 a.m., deputies went with federal Drug Enforcement Administration representatives to a home on Robertson Avenue to execute a warrant on potential drug charges, a spokesperson said. Deputies in marked vehicles told everyone inside the house to come outside, and two people complied.
When deputies entered the house around 10:15 a.m., they encountered a man in a bedroom who fired multiple shots at them.
Deputies returned fire, the spokesperson said. The shooter, later identified by officials as Tyquarius Armstrong, 21, died at the scene.
Another deputy immediately took the wounded officer to the hospital.
The Sheriff’s Office later released two separate videos from officer-worn body cameras during the incident.
In one video, a group of armed officers wearing protective gear can be seen entering the home and announcing their presence to those inside.
Click below to see part two of the body camera footage.
In the second clip, deputies can be seen clearing bedrooms inside the residence. They arrive at a door that appears to be locked and kick it open. Armstrong can be seen inside holding a gun and opens fire on deputies.
On Thursday afternoon, Baton Rouge Police Chief Thomas Morse said he was able to visit the wounded deputy at the hospital and said the officer was with family and in good spirits.
In a news release, East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said the incident served as an example of how dangerous deputies’ jobs can be.
“I’m grateful our deputies are not more seriously injured. I was fortunate to spend time with our wounded deputy and his family at the hospital, and I am happy to announce that he is expected to make a full recovery,” Gautreaux said.
The sheriff called the second deputy struck in his bulletproof vest “fortunate.”
“This is exactly why we make training a priority at the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office ,” he said.
The investigation following the shooting prompted the closure of portions of numerous streets adjacent to Robertson Avenue near Hollywood Street and Foster Drive for several hours.
“This incident underscores the daily risks faced by our law enforcement officers, and we are committed to supporting them fully and ensuring their safety,” Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome said in a statement. “We stand together across our parish, united in support of our law enforcement officers and our commitment to a safe East Baton Rouge Parish.”
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