KENNER, LA- During a violent standoff with police in Kenner, Louisiana, a gunman wounded three police officers. After opening fire on the officers, the gunman was shot dead by a police sniper who was present at the scene, authorities confirmed.
Police were called to a home in Kenner to apprehend Michael Lathers, 31, who was wanted in connection to an earlier double shooting incident. Lathers had also been identified as the suspect for a separate attempted murder and armed robbery case earlier in the week.
Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley and Joseph Lopinto of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office (JPSO) stated that when they arrived at the location, the Kenner Police Department’s SWAT team immediately began receiving fire as they tried to enter the premises.
The gunfire from the suspect resulted in a total of three officers being shot. The officers were transported to a local hospital, and they are currently in stable condition, according to reports.
The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office assisted in the operation. Lathers returned fire on a JPSO armored vehicle before being fatally shot by a JPSO sniper. Efforts to negotiate with Lathers were reportedly unsuccessful. The suspect in the shooting was declared dead at the scene.