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Baton Rouge: several police officers 'struck by gunfire' in shootout Several police officers 'struck by gunfire' in Baton Rouge shootout
(35 minutes later)
Several police officers have been shot in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, according to a police spokesperson. Several police officers have been shot in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, according to police officials.
“Law enforcement is working a shooting incident involving officers,” Casey Rayborn Hicks, a spokeswoman for East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, said in a statement. Related: Baton Rouge: police officers 'feared dead after shooting in Louisiana' - live updates
“Law enforcement is working a shooting incident involving officers,” Casey Hicks, a spokeswoman for East Baton Rouge sheriff’s office, said in a statement.
Hicks said a stretch of Airline Highway had been shut down. “Still an active scene,” she said. “Advising public to please take an alternate route and steer clear of the area.”Hicks said a stretch of Airline Highway had been shut down. “Still an active scene,” she said. “Advising public to please take an alternate route and steer clear of the area.”
Police sergeant Don Coppola told CBS that “several officers were struck by gunfire” but he did not know “the extent of injury”. Police sergeant Don Coppola told a local station, WAFB, that “several officers were struck by gunfire” but said he did not know “the extent of injury”.
“We are asking everyone to stay away,” the spokesman said. “We feel the scene has been contained and we ask individuals to give it some thought.” “We are asking everyone to stay away,” Coppola said. “We feel the scene has been contained and we ask individuals to give it some thought.”
He could not confirm whether a suspect has been taken into custody. Mayor Kip Holden also called the local network, and said: “There were a number of officers who have been injured, a number have been taken to Our Lady of the Lake hospital.”
Mayor Kip Holden also called the local network, and said: “there were a number of officers who have been injured, a number have been taken to Our Lady of the Lake hospital.” “The situation is still very very fluid,” he added. “We’re trying to find out what happened, which is going to take several more hours. Right now we’re asking citizens to stay away from that area.”
“The situation is still very very fluid,” he added. “We’re trying to find out what happened, which is going to take several more hours.” Speaking to CNN, Holden said: “The count is three officers dead possibly. Everything is moving fast and I have not been able to verify everything.”
“Right now we’re asking citizens to stay away from that area.” Holden did not immediately return calls from the Guardian.
“The count is three officers dead possibly,” Holden told CNN, but added: “Everything is moving fast and I have not been able to verify everything.” Hicks also called the local news station, and said police “believe that the area is contained though it is still active”, and that officers “might possibly still be looking for folks”.
A spokesperson at the hospital could not say how many officers had been brought to the facility. She too urged the public to stay indoors and stay away from Old Hammond Highway and Airline Highway. A spokesperson at the hospital could not say how many officers had been brought to the facility.
Gunshots were audible from video taken from the scene, near a highway and a car wash, and police cars swarmed near the scene with lights flashing and sirens blaring. The Baton Rouge police department did not immediately answer phone calls or emails for more information. “This is an unspeakable and unjustified attack on all of us at a time when we need unit and healing,” Governor John Bel Edwards said in a statement. “Rest assured, every resource available to the state of Louisiana will be used to ensure the perpetrators are swiftly brought to justice. For now, I’m asking all Louisianans to join Donna and me in praying for the officers who were involved and their families as the details continue to unfold.”
Baton Rouge has been wracked by tense protests in recent weeks following the shooting deaths of a black man, Alton Sterling, by a police officer, and then the killings of five police officers in Dallas, Texas, a few days later. “Common sense needs to prevail, we need to be the great city that this is,” Holden said. Gunshots were audible from video taken from the scene, near a highway and a car wash, and police cars swarmed with lights flashing and sirens blaring. The Baton Rouge police department did not immediately answer phone calls or emails for more information.
More to follow … Baton Rouge has been racked by tense protests in recent weeks following the fatal police shooting of Alton Sterling and then the shooting dead of five police officers in Dallas a few days later. Last weekend, thousands protested in the streets of the Louisiana city to condemn Sterling’s death, and police arrested about 200 people over three days.
“Common sense needs to prevail, we need to be the great city that this is,” Holden said.
More follows …