MARRERO, La. — Two Louisiana deputies are facing manslaughter charges and have been fired from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office after authorities alleged that the pair fatally shot a man sitting in a running vehicle who had refused their commands to exit.
Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto confirmed Monday the firings and arrests of 29-year-old Isaac Hughes and 35-year-old Johnathan Louis, each of whom had been on patrol duty for the office for two years or less, WVUE reported.
Hughes and Louis are accused of shooting Daniel Vallee, 34, on Feb. 16 in front of a Marrero home, WWL-TV reported.
According to WVUE, Hughes and Louis were among five deputies who responded to a neighbor’s noise complaint at what Lopinto characterized as a “known crack house.”
The deputies attempted for more than 12 minutes to convince Vallee to exit the parked vehicle, but when he turned on the vehicle’s engine while facing them, weapons were drawn, the TV station reported.
Vallee at some point dropped his hands, causing the vehicle’s horn to honk, prompting either Hughes or Louis to fire and the other to follow suit, WWL-TV reported.
Lopinto confirmed to WVUE that body camera footage from the deputies, coupled with interviews of office staff on the scene, captured clearly the turn of events.
“Mr. Vallee had every opportunity to cooperate and to comply,” Lopinto said. “There was force that was clearly justified at this moment, but it wasn’t deadly force. ... This was extremely unfortunate for everyone,” Lopinto told the TV station.
Lopinto also confirmed to WWL-TV that Vallee was not armed.
“The use of force in this situation was not justified, as much as I would like to defend them,” he added, noting that Vallee was wanted for questioning related to a pair of thefts in Plaquemines Parish and to an overdose investigation in Gretna.
Manslaughter in Louisiana is punishable by up to 40 years in state prison upon conviction, WVUE reported.