Man kills himself after deputies used less-than-lethal measures

Tioga, LA (5/13/2023) – Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office reported a man killed himself after deputies used less-than-lethal measures to take him into custody.

At approximately 10:40 AM Saturday, May 13, 2023, Sheriff’s Dispatch-Tioga Substation received a call about a male subject walking on Dupree Street off of Shreveport Highway in Tioga, acting very erratic and possibly armed with a handgun. 

Patrol Deputies arrived at the scene attempting to locate the subject and located him one street over on the porch of a residence on Netherlin Drive with two other people. 

Deputies contacted the three subjects on the porch, where they quickly learned that the male subject was armed with a handgun and the other two subjects lived at the residence and did not know him. 

As deputies began talking to the subject about getting him professional help and putting the handgun down, other deputies entered the residence through the back door. They removed the other two occupants out of harm’s way from the residence. 

After approximately 40 minutes of negotiations, deputies decided to deploy less lethal measures to take him into custody when the subject became aggressive and threatened to harm himself. 

An RPSO SWAT Deputy deployed the less lethal measures, which were unsuccessful, at which time the subject discharged the handgun, striking himself in the head. 

RPSO SWAT medics were on the scene and immediately responded to render life-saving measures. Acadian Ambulance also responded and transported the subject to a local hospital. It was later learned that the subject died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound; toxicology and autopsy results are pending.

Sheriff’s Detectives and Crime Scene Investigators responded to the scene to investigate. Detectives also interviewed other residents of the neighborhood. 

Sheriff’s Detectives say this is an ongoing investigation. RPSO will not be releasing the name of the deceased due to the nature of the incident.