Gunfire kills 3 people, K-9

The peaceful year that had yet to see a homicide in 2017 was shattered Wednesday evening as a suspect, identified by sources as Donald Johnson, shot two women at different locations before getting into a gunfight with police.
Johnson was shot and killed during the shoot-out. It won’t be known until an autopsy is performed if he died by his own hand or was shot by officers.
According to sources, Crowley Police Officer Tate Thibodeaux was injured and a K-9 officer, Roscoe, was killed, after they initially responded to the call of gunshots, at approximately 10:30 p.m. in the 400 block of Josey Street in southeast Crowley.
Responding officers converged on the scene and a gunfight ensued. When officers eventually entered the home they found the bodies of the suspect and a woman, who was allegedly the suspect’s girlfriend, who died from a gunshot wound.
Thibodeaux was shot in the leg and he was in stable condition. He has since been released from the hospital.
During the subsequent investigation, police went to a house on South Avenue G to question a woman, who reportedly lived with the suspect. Once there, they discovered that she, too, had been fatally shot. The shooting death of this woman is being investigated by the Crowley Police Department.
Andrew Venable said he was visiting with some friends a block away on Cedar St. when the gunfire erupted.
“It was crazy,” he said. “There must have been about 20 shots fired. We all were scared. When we finally looked outside there were police lined up and down the street.”
Employees at the South Parkerson Avenue Shop Rite who knew Johnson said he came in to pick up some Swisher Sweet Wraps just prior to when the shooting was reported.
“He seemed really calm,” said a store clerk. “Not nervous at all.”
Following the shooting on Josey Street, a large, emotional crowd filled the street. One woman, who said she was the suspect’s sister, seemed hysterical as she tried to charge through the crime scene tape before being stopped by police.
Louisiana State Police have taken over the investigation at the Josey Street location, since the shooting involved Crowley officers.
The K-9 was escorted by Lake Charles City Police and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s officers to the Calcasieu Parish Coroner’s Office Thursday morning for an autopsy.
The victims names have yet to be released.
Responding to the scene were Acadian Ambulance, the Crowley Police Department, the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Louisiana State Police and Acadia Parish Coroner’s Office.
The Post-Signal will release more details as soon as they are available.