Louisiana Deputies Arrested, Charged After Man's Death

Sheriff determines shooting was not justified
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 23, 2022 1:52 AM CST
Louisiana Deputies Arrested, Charged After Man's Death
This photo provided by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s office shows Isaac Hughes.   (Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office via AP)

Two Louisiana sheriff's deputies have been fired and arrested on charges of manslaughter five days after a man was shot and killed while deputies were responding to a noise complaint. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joseph Lopinto III says the complaint centered on a "known crack house," where deputies found Daniel Vallee sitting in a car parked outside around 2:15am, NBC News reports. The license plate of the car had been switched, authorities say, and deputies learned Vallee was wanted for questioning in cases involving thefts and an overdose. For more than 12 minutes, Vallee allegedly refused to exit the locked car, and then he turned the engine on and deputies drew their weapons. When Vallee suddenly honked his horn, the two deputies allegedly fired their weapons multiple times, killing the unarmed man.

Lopinto says that while he believes the deputies were startled by the honking and the shooting was unintentional, "Unfortunately, the use of force in this situation was not justified." Isaac Hughes, 29, and Johnathan Louis, 35, cooperated with the investigation. Vallee's relatives spoke to the NOLA.com prior to their arrest and wondered why the deputies didn't come up with a different plan of action in the 12 minutes before Vallee was killed. "He's a struggling addict," says his aunt. "That doesn't mean he should have been shot and killed in the manner that he was." (More Louisiana stories.)

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