Two Louisiana police officers were shot by a suspect they were pursuing, ending in the death of one officer and injuries to the other.
Mandeville Police Department said the shooting happened on Sept. 20 after a car chase ended in a crash between suspect Mark Spicer and the police officers, who were pursuing the man in two separate vehicles, reported 4WWL.
Police captain Vincent “Vinny” Liberto Jr. died at the scene and the other officer was hospitalized and then released later that day, FOX8 reported. Liberto, 58, was a 25-year veteran of the force.
Spicer, 21, sped off after the shooting, dumping the gun and ditching his car to hide in a nearby school yard where he was later arrested, reported 4WWL. He is facing four charges: First Degree Murder of a Police Officer, Attempted First Degree Murder of a Police Officer, Aggravated Flight from an Officer, and Possession of Stolen Property (firearm).
The Covington local is being held at St. Tammany Parish Jail.
“It’s a bad day for the Mandeville Police Department,” said police chief Gerald Sticker at a press conference.
“We have a wife that’s grieving, we have children that are grieving, we have an agency that hasn’t lost a police officer in probably 50 years that is grieving,” Sticker said. Liberto leaves behind his wife with seven children.
Police initially said they believed there had been a second suspect. A person in the passenger seat of Spicer’s car suffered minor injuries and has not been charged.
Sticker added that Louisiana State Police will be leading the investigation, which is ongoing.
Authorities said the car chase started around 2 p.m. during a routine traffic stop, when the injured officer, who has not yet been identified, tried to get Spicer to pull over. When Spicer didn’t stop, the officer began a pursuit and another unmarked vehicle, driven by Liberto, soon joined.
The chase led the cars on to US 190 before it ended in a three-vehicle car crash on Highway 22.
That’s when Spicer allegedly got out of his vehicle and shot into both of the vehicles, killing Liberto, who died at the scene.
