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JPSO: Deputies who killed man were responding to call that he had abused child, was threatening girlfriend

According to police, an autopsy showed that Mitchell had been shot by police and his wounds were not self-inflicted.

METAIRIE, La. — Police identified the man killed by Jefferson Parish deputies Saturday night as an accused child predator who had allegedly threatened to kill his girlfriend.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joseph Lopinto reports deputies shot 30-year-old Joshua Mitchell after he pointed a gun at them twice during a standoff outside his Metairie apartment.

According to Lopinto, deputies were sent to Mitchell's apartment in the 6500 block of Park Manor Drive after a woman called to report that her boyfriend had sexually abused a child.

The woman told dispatchers that Mitchell admitted to the abuse and threatened to kill her. She also reported that Mitchell was armed and had a “history of confrontation with law enforcement,” according to Lopinto.

Police found Mitchell at the couple’s apartment and attempted to negotiate with him. Around 9 p.m., police say he came out of the apartment with a gun aimed at deputies.

A deputy then fired his gun at Mitchell, who went back into the apartment.

JPSO sent a Crisis Management Unit to the scene. 

Police say Mitchell came out a second time with his weapon pointed at one of the Crisis Management Unit deputies, who fired at Mitchell before he went back into the apartment.

Police say the Crisis Management Unit breached the door of the apartment around 10:30 p.m. and found Mitchell dead inside with multiple gunshot wounds.

According to police, an autopsy showed that Mitchell had been shot by police and his wounds were not self-inflicted.

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