Suspect killed after standoff, fatal shooting at Harvey shipyard

JEFFERSON PARISH, La. (WGNO) — Three are dead following a shooting at the FMT Shipyard in Harvey on Monday, July 17.

What started off as a regular day of work turned into a horror scene for the employees at the shipyard.

According to Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto, a gunman entered the facility and shot and killed two workers.

The current suspect is believed to be a former employee of the shipyard, who was fired last week.

Other workers at the scene were sent into lockdown for several hours as the incident happened.

"Everybody was screaming in the boat and saying get out the boat because we don't know where the shooter is at and because they had killed two guys and everybody was just worried," said Marco Pina.

"Everybody was freaked out because nothing ever happens like that in the job sight, you know? The man was probably holding a grudge," he continued.

The employees in lockdown were released and allowed to go home around 3:00 p.m. on Monday.

Deputies reportedly received a tip that the suspect was in his mother's vehicle and that she had dropped him off at the St. Germaine Apartment Homes in the 2100 block of Manhattan Boulevard.

Deputies spotted him on an apartment balcony. When he came downstairs, he was met by the Jefferson Parish SWAT team. Lopinto said the suspect ran while exchanging fire with deputies. He was fatally shot.

According to Lopinto, investigators don't believe the suspect's mother knew that her son was the suspect in the shipyard shooting.

No other injuries were reported.

The Jefferson Parish coroner identified the two deceased employees as Nakie James Brown, 48, and Dustin Parrie Jr., 20. The suspect was identified as 31-year-old Willis Thomas Jr.

This is a developing story. Stay with WGNO as we learn more.

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