UPDATES: Two male suspects were apparently shooting at one another out in the open in Baton Rouge. When police officers and deputy responded, six officers were shot.
Three officers are dead, one is critically wounded and in hospital, and two officers wounded with no verified report on their conditions but they are parsed in various media at this time… as non-life-theatening wounds. We await clarification as exact medical information on all three wounded officers/deputies is still spare.
Two of the dead officers: [Left] OFFICER MONTRELL JACKSON, 31, with his son. OFFICER MATTHEW GERALD,[Right] age 41, father of two children, married.
The critical incident appears not to be a ‘target a cop’ intention, rather persons shooting guns perhaps to avoid capture. One of the gunmen is dead.
“CBS News identified the shooter as Gavin Eugene Long of Kansas City, Missouri, and noted that he appeared to have carried out the shooting on his 29th birthday.
“There is not an active shooter scenario in Baton Rouge,” State Police Col. Mike Edmonson announced at the press conference. “We do believe the person that shot and killed our officers, that he is the person who was shot and killed at the scene,” he said.
“Two of the dead were identified as Baton Rouge police officers, and one is an East Baton Rouge Parish sheriff’s deputy. Another sheriff’s deputy, 41, is said to be in critical condition. Two other officers suffered wounds that were not life-threatening.
“To me, this is not so much about gun control as it is about what’s in men’s hearts, and until we come together as a nation, as a people, to heal as a people, if we don’t do that and this madness continues, we will surely perish as a people,” Gautreaux said.
“Each one of these individuals, married,” he said. “Each one of these individuals have family.”
“WAFB identified BRPD officers Montrell Jackson, 32, and Matthew Gerald, 41, as two of the slain officers. The station says the little boy seen in photos with Jackson is his son.
EARLIER report below, along with correction to death toll above in headline: In the fog surrounding critical incidents, we only have sparse information regarding a shooter in Baton Rouge, who it is said shot numerous police officers and deputies, wounding several, some critically it is said. Reports are spare out of Baton Rouge at the moment, but they say that three officers have died.
I pray that the still living, can live. And that I and we not become calloused to death because madnesses seem to be stalking many more, most recently. Too may it be that those needing comfort be comforted– this last ever a good first place to land.
This post will be updated later as more facts filter in, prob by Joe G. Having pulled an all nighter on the help line, I’ll be back in while too.