New Orleans police officer shot and killed while on patrol
A New Orleans police officer was shot and killed early Friday, ambushed while getting out of a patrol car on the city’s east side, police said.
The accused shooter was also shot when officers returned fire, Police Superintendent Michael Harrison told reporters at an early morning news conference.
At least one — possibly two — officers returned fire “and our officer collapsed right there on the scene,” Harrison said.
“They were on routine patrol,” he said. “They saw something that aroused their suspicion. They were exiting the vehicle and upon exiting the vehicle what we have learned is that this perpetrator fired at our officer, striking our officer.”
The suspect surrendered to a SWAT team after hiding inside an apartment for a time, Harrison said. The accused gunman was taken to a hospital, where he was being treated Friday morning, he said.
“We have lost one of our brothers. NOPD grieves this morning,” the New Orleans Police Department said in a pre-dawn tweet.
“We are all grieving,” Harrison told reporters. “Our department is grieving, our city is grieving and this family is grieving so we ask the city to pray for us and keep us in our thoughts and prayers.”
Police didn’t immediately identify the officer or the suspected gunman.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
