Two Cops Charged With Manslaughter For Fatal Shooting Of Unarmed Man In Louisiana

Two Louisiana deputies were arrested on charges of manslaughter for the fatal shooting of an unarmed man while responding to a noise complaint. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joseph Lopinto III announced the arrests of deputies, Isaac Hughes, 29, and Johnathan Louis, 35, for fatally shooting a civilian named Daniel Vallee on Feb. 16.

The use of force during the shooting was "not justified" and both the deputies have been terminated, Lopinto said, according to a press conference Monday.

On the day of the incident, the deputies were responding to a noise complaint at a "known crack house" when they saw Vallee seated inside a parked car with a "switched license plate" outside the residence, Lopinto said. The officers learned that Vallee was wanted for questioning regarding thefts in the area and an overdose incident.

The deputies asked Vallee to get out of the vehicle but he reportedly refused. At one point during the standoff, Vallee turned the running car off and put his hands up but still did not step out of the car.

"He refused to cooperate with our officers. He refused to cooperate with them for over 12 minutes," Lopinto said.

Vallee decided to start the vehicle back up which resulted in the cops pointing their guns at him, the Sheriff said. "Numerous of my deputies drew their weapons at that point in time, expecting him to try to take off," Lopinto said, adding that they were five deputies at the scene, including one standing directly in front of the car and another to the side.

The situation further escalated when Vallee dropped his hands and hit the horn of the vehicle. Two of the deputies responded to the loud noise by firing multiple shots and killing Vallee, who was completely unarmed.

"Unfortunately, the use of force in this situation was not justified," Lopinto admitted.

The deputies have reportedly been cooperating with the investigation and the bodycam footage supported their account of what transpired. Meanwhile, Loptino also said he does not believe the shooting was intentional.

Vallee's family said he struggled with drugs but was never violent. "He’s a struggling addict. That doesn’t mean he should have been shot and killed in the manner that he was," Vallee's aunt, Tara Phillips, told Nola.com.