An officer who had previously been in the running to be the police chief of a small Louisiana town was killed Wednesday while responding to a fatal domestic violence call involving two sisters of a local mayor.
The Sunset police officer, identified as 51-year-old Henry Nelson, was shot dead while responding to a domestic dispute that had already turned deadly when Shameka Johnson, 40, and Surlay Johnson, 34, attempted to break up a fight.
Grand Coteau Mayor: one sister dead, one sister in critical conditiom
Shameka Johnson, the sister of Grand Coteau Mayor Shaterral Johnson, sustained fatal stab wounds when she and her sister attempted to break up the fight between the suspect, 35-year-old Harrison Lee Wiley, and his wife, according to the St. Landry Sheriff's Department.
Surlay Johnson was listed in critical condition.
The violent confrontation happened in the town of Sunset at around 4:45 p.m., the Associated Press reported.
Wiley allegedly shot Nelson — a former candidate for Sunset police chief — as he responded to the stabbing attack before attempting to flee. However, he ended up crashing into a storefront a few blocks away, authorities said.
Wiley was taken into custody after a two-hour standoff with authorities that included tear gas and SWAT officers forcing their way into the store.
Guidroz said there were three people inside the convenience store at the time, but all three got out before the suspect barricaded himself inside.
There were no hostages, he added.
"We're happy no one else was hurt," Guidroz said.
Negotiators had tried to persuade Wiley to come out on his own, but Guidroz said he had told authorities he was "not coming and he was ready to fight."
Heavily armed officers, who appear to be with Louisiana State Police, have arrived on scene. #BREAKING
A brother of Wiley's was also called to talk the him out of the store, Guidroz said, but when that proved unsuccessful, officers used tear gas.
"We hear him coughing and sneezing, the tear gas is tearing him up," Guidroz said at the time.
After the standoff ended, a fire erupted at the convenience store, but it was not immediately clear what caused it.
This is a developing story. Check back later and follow @BuzzFeedNews for updates.