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Amite man dies day after standoff with police

by Michael Luke / Eyewitness News

Posted on November 23, 2009 at 10:23 AM

Updated Monday, Nov 23 at 10:52 AM

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AMITE – A brief standoff with police ended with an Amite man being shot, after he leveled a shotgun at Tangipahoa deputies; he died a day later at a St. Tammany hospital, according to sheriff’s office spokeswoman Dawn Panepinto.

Sunday evening around 9 p.m., deputies were called to a home on East Snowcreek Road in response to a domestic dispute, said police. As deputies were getting out of their cruisers, David Johnson, 49, was standing in his yard pointing a shotgun at the officers, said police.

Officers ducked and ran for cover and a standoff began with Johnson, as he refused to surrender to police.

“After a brief standoff with deputies and with Johnson’s refusal to surrender, a female subject came running from the woods and began struggling with Johnson over the weapon,” said Panepinto. 

Officers approached Johnson as he was struggling with the woman, but he regained control of his shotgun and pointed it at an officer on the ground, which caused the deputy to draw his weapon and shoot Johnson in the pelvic area, said police.

Deputies took Johnson’s weapon after he was struck and began performing first aid on him, before he was taken to an area hospital, police said.  He died from his injuries Monday morning, said Panepinto.

As is procedure, there is an investigation into the shooting of Johnson by the deputy, but, “Sheriff (Daniel) Edwards is confident that his deputies acted accordingly and followed the policy and procedures if the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office for such an incident,” said Panepinto.
 

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sassyfrass said on November 23, 2009 at 11:41 AM

It was either the deputy or the crazy man, Good job one more crazy person taken off the streets. If you are going to point a weapon at someone, DON'T LET IT BE A POLICEMAN, YOU WILL LOSE EVERYTIME...........................

commentstrue said on November 23, 2009 at 2:42 PM

sassyfrass - I agree with you 100%. But the above report leaves a lot of questions in my mind. How could a man on the ground with his weapon in his holster shoot a man that has a shotgun aimed at him. The report says the man was in control of the shotgun. If that shotgun was loaded, that deputy should have been dead before he could have gotten his weapon out of his holster. I don't believe Wyatt Earp is alive today. Sounds strange, like this man wanted to be killed. I would have shot him if I was the deputy because I wouldn't have known if the gun was loaded or not and I surely wouldn't have taken a chance. But there is something missing!

sassyfrass said on November 23, 2009 at 4:21 PM

COMMENTSTRUE: The I read it is that the officer on the ground had the shotgun aimed at him, and the officers partner, or a fellow officer is the one that shot the suspect(crazy man).

commentstrue said on November 23, 2009 at 5:22 PM

sassyfrass - could be right!

pensguy said on November 23, 2009 at 7:01 PM

Re-read it then. Maybe those were not the words the reporter was looking for, or when the suspect regained control of the gun, the officer attempted to back pedal and lost his footing.