Part-time officer shot during traffic stop in Rayville; Ville Platte man identified as suspect and arrested
RAYVILLE, La. (AP) A part-time north Louisiana police officer was being treated Saturday after he was shot during a traffic stop, authorities said.
A suspect is in custody.
Marshall Waters works part-time for the Mangham Police Department and is a full-time emergency technician with Northeast Louisiana Ambulance.
He was airlifted to Rapides Medical Center after the shooting, Shane Scott, a spokesman for the ambulance company, confirmed. His condition was not immediately available.
In a Facebook post, Franklin Parish Sheriff Kevin Cobb said Waters had stopped a vehicle on Louisiana Highway 425 at about 1 p.m. near the Franklin and Richland parish line.
Scott said Waters was shot once in the lower abdomen as he exited his vehicle. The bullet hit beneath his safety vest, Scott said.
Law enforcement said the suspect fled after shooting Waters. The suspect’s car was found wrecked on Louisiana 562 near Fort Necessity, about 20 miles (32 km) from where Waters was shot, The News-Star reported.
At about 3 p.m., Hermandus Semien, 27, of Ville Platte, was taken into custody without further incident, authorities said.
Police have not said what charges he will face and it was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
Scott said the thoughts and prayers of the ambulance company are with Waters and his colleagues who responded to the call.
“He is an individual who spends most, if not all, of his time dedicated to public service and public safety,” Scott said.
He also urged members of the community to keep Waters in their prayers.