At least two Baton Rouge police officers and one East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office deputy shot this morning have died, according to multiple reports.
“The remaining officers are hospitalized in critical condition,” CNN reports.
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Sputnik News says they have confirmed the attacker has been neutralized. “Kip Holden, the mayor-president of East Baton Rouge Parish, said the shooter is believed to be down as well — but authorities didn’t offer details,” writes CNN.
Reports indicate officers believe two more suspects are still at large.
VIDEO: Witness recorded the start of the #BatonRouge shooting pic.twitter.com/HVvAHQivjO
— Alison Arkin (@Cronikeys) July 17, 2016
According to witness accounts, the incident began Sunday morning when a man who was dressed in black and had his face covered began “shooting indiscriminately when he walked out between a convenience store and car wash across from Hammond Air Plaza,” near the Baton Rouge Police Department.
Police respond as officers are feared dead after a #BatonRouge shooting https://t.co/LyKgkW1pLi https://t.co/uHABqM1Bwj
— CNN (@CNN) July 17, 2016
State Police SWAT now on scene pic.twitter.com/r3Eni4aODL
— Michael Vinsanau (@MVinsanau) July 17, 2016
RT initially reported up to eight police officers had been shot, however CNN later clarified the shooting only affected six officers.
Previous reports claimed the gunman was still at large and that a manhunt was underway.
Police brought in a bomb disposal robot to search for explosives in the area, Sky News reported.
Update – Sky sources: one suspect believed to have been shot and a bomb disposal robot is on the scene checking for explosives
— Sky News Newsdesk (@SkyNewsBreak) July 17, 2016
The Baton Rouge mayor’s office has issued an advisory telling residents to stay home and off the streets, tweets a reporter with The Advocate.
Baton Rouge Mayors office urges people to stay home, stay off the streets for now in immediate wake of police shooting
— Rebekah Allen (@rebekahallen) July 17, 2016
A local CBS affiliate notes Baton Rouge city officials are asking people not to protest today out of respect for the officers.
CBS News: City officials in Baton Rouge are asking the community to cease all protests out of respect for the officers who've been shot.
— Local 8 News (@wvlt) July 17, 2016
An FBI alert issued to Louisiana law enforcement earlier this month warned of the possibility of riots and violence against officers in Baton Rouge and Shreveport, Louisiana, however the dates specified in the memo, obtained by Judicial Watch, included July 8 through July 10.
Baton Rouge police did, however, uncover a plot that weekend concerning a group of men who obtained weapons with which to attack law enforcement. Three out of four suspects were arrested, with one remaining at large.
Just yesterday, protesters gathered outside police headquarters in Baton Rouge demonstrating against the police shooting death of resident Alton Sterling, whose funeral took place Friday.
More on this as it develops…
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