Three police officers from Louisiana were shot during a standoff on Sunday that led to the fatal shooting of a suspect. Matthew Lathers, aged 31, was suspected in two shootings before Kenner Police Department (KPD) officers gathered outside the residence of his relative’s house where two victims had been earlier shot that same day. Lthers already possessed an outstanding warrant for a Tuesday shooting and robbery incident which left a man critically injured.
Upon arrival, police were immediately targeted with gunfire by Lathers. The KPD officers responded in kind but three of their own required medical attention, resulting in two being discharged from the hospital later that day while one remained stable following treatment for an injury on his side. SWAT teams comprising both KPD and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office (JPSO) were present at the scene during the standoff.
Lathers began shooting at a JPSO armored vehicle where deputies had taken shelter, but attempts to initiate negotiations with him failed as he refused all contact. The JPSO captain reported that after earlier firing on their vehicles, Lathers returned to his position and resumed targeting the same location from which he could once again aim at the Sheriff’s Office personnel in it. A sniper was then able to fatally wound Lathers who died instantly upon being hit by a bullet.
Officers intended charging Lathers with attempted murder, armed robbery, and other related offenses following his death during the standoff. Jefferson Parish reported ten murders throughout all of last year while four such incidents have already occurred in 2019’s first quarter alone. Robberies are also on an upward trend as there were fifty-six reports made within this period, compared to just fifty-three for the entirety of 2023.
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