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.
