Authorities: Suspect dead, officer injured after pursuit ends in gunfire outside Vinton

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - One man is dead and a Sulphur police officer injured following a police pursuit late Saturday night, authorities said.

It started as a traffic stop by Cameron deputies in the Hackberry area and ended in a crash, exchange of gunfire and suspect dead at the scene.

Highway 108 at Gum Island Road near Vinton remained closed as state police investigated the crime scene.

“Detectives and investigators have to interview those officers who were on the scene and work to figure out exactly what went on,” Derek Senegal, Louisiana State Police Troop D spokesman said.

No confirmation whether the suspect’s death was a homicide or self-inflicted.

“Shortly after 11:15 p.m. a Cameron Sheriff’s deputy had initiated the traffic stop. From that traffic stop there was an exchange of gun fire and a pursuit ensued from that initial traffic stop,” Senegal said.

At least one Sulphur officer was injured but is expected to recover. Just before Highway 108 opened a tow truck removed a wrecked Lexus with Texas plates from the crime scene and another brought out two Sulphur police units.

There was a woman in the suspect’s vehicle.

“There was a female passenger that was in the vehicle at the time of the pursuit and at the time of the shooting and she was transported to Troop D office in Lake Charles and interviewed by detectives,” Senegal said.

The crime scene took hours to process, but Highway 108 opened at about 1:30 p.m. Though police are tight-lipped about any details, the scene did show the suspect vehicle left the roadway.

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