Louisiana Police Officer Henry Nelson was shot and killed with his service revolver, taken from him in a struggle, after responding to a domestic dispute call on Wednesday in the small town of Sunset, some 69 miles from Baton Rouge, according to The Washington Post. Officer Nelson had planned on taking a month-long vacation starting Thursday to visit his teenage daughter, who lived in another town, Sunset Police Chief Luis Padilla said.
The suspect has been identified as Harrison Riley, Jr., 35, of nearby Arnaudville, La.
St. Landry Parish Sheriff Bobby Guidroz says he was told that Riley is originally from New Orleans and has an extensive criminal past in New Orleans and that he had just recently moved to Arnaudville, FOX News reported. In a tragic twist, Riley is the cousin of the officer he allegedly killed.
The domestic dispute started when Riley was arguing with his wife. Friends of Riley's wife, sisters Shurley Johnson and Shameka Johnson, were both stabbed when they tried to intervene to protect their friend.
Shameka Johnson was stabbed multiple times and died at the scene. Riley's wife, Courtney Jolivette Riley, was also stabbed, and is being treated at a local hospital, along with Shurley Johnson. The incident took place in the house of the Johnson sisters' mother. The Johnsons' are sisters to nearby town Grand Couteau's mayor Shaterral Johnson, according to CBS News.
Riley fled the scene after the shooting and stabbings, drove to a mini mart about three blocks away and barricaded himself inside, The Washington Post reported.
Sheriff Guidroz said that SWAT team members lobbed tear gas and "C-gas" into the building and then broke in using hammers and fire axes to arrest Riley. Riley was taken to a hospital after the standoff ended and was expected to be booked into jail after he was released.
Sometime after the standoff ended, the Sunset Mini Mart burst into flames. Firefighters quickly put out the blaze, and the state fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire, Guidroz said.
