Police: Suspect was shot after pointing AR-15 rifle at officer

A suspect sustained non-life-threatening injuries Sunday morning when a Patterson police officer shot the suspect after he pointed an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle at the officer following a vehicle chase, Police Chief Patrick LaSalle said.

The investigation into the officer-involved shooting has been turned over to state police. The officer didn't sustain any injuries.

Shortly before 9 a.m. Sunday, Patterson police began pursuit of a vehicle traveling at a high speed traveling on Live Oak Street, LaSalle said. The suspect vehicle then hit a fence near the intersection of Cleveland and Live Oak streets, the chief said.

The suspect then exited the vehicle and fled toward a church on Harry D Street at which time the officer located the suspect. At this time, the suspect turned toward with a firearm and was given verbal commands to drop the weapon, LaSalle said.

Church was convening when the incident took place.

The suspect didn't drop the weapon, and the officer then fired several rounds toward the suspect, LaSalle said. The suspect, identified as Marcus A. White, 25, of Patterson, was hit by gunfire, LaSalle said.

White then dropped his firearm and tried to flee from the scene, but was quickly caught by the officer, LaSalle said. White's injuries weren't life threatening, the chief said.

The officer, whose name LaSalle didn't release, wasn't injured in the incident, he said. The officer "only used necessary force" when he fired his weapon, LaSalle said.

Police recovered an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, which White had allegedly pointed at the officer. The rifle's magazine was "fully loaded," LaSalle said.

One of the rounds that the officer fired went "directly into the magazine" of the suspect's rifle, he said.

LaSalle said he immediately called Louisiana State Police to the scene to investigate the matter. The St. Mary Parish Sheriff's Office also assisted with traffic around the scene.

Louisiana State Police Detectives booked White into the St. Mary Parish jail Sunday on charges of attempted first-degree murder of a police officer, resisting an officer and felon in possession of a firearm, Troop I Master Trooper Brooks David said in a news release. This case remains an active investigation, David said.

The officer has been placed on paid administrative leave while state police investigate the matter, LaSalle said.

Two retired police officers who were at the scene assisted in apprehending White because authorities didn't know whether he had another weapon on him, LaSalle said.

A passenger in the vehicle White was driving, Aalijah Charles, 34, of Houma, was charged with disturbing the peace and released on bail, police said.

On Sunday, Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations was requested by the Patterson Police Department to investigate an officer involved shooting in the city limits of Patterson, a state police news release said.

A preliminary investigation revealed that at about 8:30 a.m. Sunday, an officer with the Patterson Police Department attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a vehicle for a traffic violation, David said.

The driver refused to stop for the officer, David said. While fleeing the officer, the suspect vehicle crashed into a fence and the driver fled on foot with a rifle, the release stated. The officer chased the suspect on foot and at some point during the chase the officer fired his duty weapon striking the suspect, David said.