In a devastating incident in LaPlace, Louisiana, two St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s deputies were fatally shot in what Sheriff Mike Tregre described as a deliberate ambush. The tragic events unfolded early Thursday morning, leaving the community in shock and mourning.
The initial confrontation occurred around 5:30 a.m. at a parking lot utilized by contractors of the Valero St. Charles Refinery, situated off Louisiana Highway 3217. A St. John Sheriff’s deputy, engaged in a security detail at this location, was the first victim, sustaining gunshot wounds.
Responding to a call describing a vehicle fleeing the scene, fellow deputies tracked the suspect vehicle to a nearby mobile home park. Upon locating the car, officers proceeded to apprehend a suspect who was outside a mobile home. Subsequently, as deputies approached the mobile home and knocked on the door, tragedy struck.
Sheriff Tregre recounted the harrowing sequence of events: “Another person exited that trailer with an assault weapon and ambushed my two officers.” This ambush resulted in the deaths of two deputies, while an additional deputy was wounded in the gunfire exchange.
In the ensuing shootout, two suspects were also wounded before law enforcement officers were able to subdue and take them into custody, according to Sheriff Tregre.
The St. John Sheriff’s Office and the community are grappling with the profound loss of Deputies Brandon Nielsen, 34, a two-year veteran, and Jeremy Triche, 27, who had served for four years. Two other deputies were also injured in the line of duty: Michael Scott Boyington, 33, a three-year veteran, and Jason Triche, 30, a ten-year veteran. Sheriff Tregre confirmed that the two Deputies Triche were related, though the specifics of their relationship were not immediately clear. The location where Deputy Jason Triche sustained his injuries remained unclear at the time of the news conference.
Deputy Nielsen is remembered by his wife and five children, while Deputy Jeremy Triche leaves behind his wife and 2-year-old son. Deputy Jason Triche underwent surgery at University Hospital in New Orleans, and Deputy Boyington was treated at River Parishes Hospital. In a Thursday afternoon press briefing, Sheriff Tregre offered a measure of relief, stating that both wounded deputies were showing signs of improvement.
Sheriff Tregre also announced that five individuals, both men and women, were in custody in connection with the shootings. While their identities were not disclosed, two of those in custody sustained injuries during the mobile home shootout but are expected to recover.
Colonel Mike Edmonson of the Louisiana State Police addressed reporters, stating, “We have the people in custody that we’re talking to right now, or they’re in the hospital, that we believe are responsible for this.” He clarified that formal charges had not yet been filed as the investigation was still active.
Col. Edmonson emphasized the severity of the attack, “I can tell you it was multiple weapons, and I can tell you it was multiple gunshots, in excess of 20 gunshots. We need to find those casings — those casings will tell us exactly how many gunshots.”
The Louisiana State Police are spearheading the investigation, with support from numerous law enforcement agencies including the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Slidell Police Department, and the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Details surrounding the shootings, including the specific locations where each deputy was shot, were still under investigation at the time of the news conference. “I wish I could give a rhyme or reason,” Col. Edmonson expressed, reflecting on the senseless violence. “I can’t give one. We’ve seen far too much of this across our nation. A small community like this, awakened early in the morning to multiple gunshots.”
Bill Day, spokesperson for Valero Energy Corp., assured that operations at the refinery remained unaffected. Valero employees were advised to proceed to work as usual, with the exception of those who park in the lot where the initial incident occurred. In the wake of the unfolding situation, some other industrial facilities in the vicinity allowed non-essential personnel to leave for the day or instructed them to stay home as the law enforcement search and investigation continued.
Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal issued an order for state flags to be flown at half-staff over the State Capitol and all public buildings and institutions until sunset on Friday. This directive, effective immediately, was declared as “an expression of respect for the four sheriff’s deputies.”
