Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre announced a man has been injured in a shooting incident in Mathews involving a deputy. The man was taken by ambulance to University Hospital in New Orleans. No deputies were injured. The incident is currently under investigation. An eyewitness told investigators the man had made statements earlier in the evening indicating a desire to die in a “suicide by cop” situation.

At 11:26 p.m., the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office received a call regarding a disturbance involving the man at a residence on Linda Street in Lockport. The man was reportedly armed with a rifle and was possibly suicidal. As deputies were responding, they learned the man had left the residence in a pickup truck. A deputy located the truck and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The man refused to stop and turned onto Adams Street in Mathews. He stopped the vehicle in the 200 block and exited with a rifle. He began running, and the deputy gave commands for him to stop. The man then turned and raised the rifle toward the deputy. The deputy then fired at the suspect, striking him in the arm. The deputy rendered first aid to the man until an ambulance arrived. The man was then taken to the hospital for treatment.

The investigation into this incident is continuing and no further details are available at this time. Per Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office policy which requires an outside agency to investigate officer-involved shootings, Sheriff Webre requested Louisiana State Police to investigate.