Kenner, Louisiana – Three police officers were among the five victims shot on Sunday morning in Kenner, Louisiana, leading to an active shooter situation that unfolded in the area later that afternoon. The suspect involved in the shootings was engaged in a standoff with law enforcement officers at a residence on Farm Avenue in Kenner for most of the day. The situation eventually culminated in the suspect being killed by police. The active shooter incident was reported around 3:45 p.m. EDT near the Kenner/St. Charles Parish line along Airline Highway. The St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office issued a brief statement urging the public to avoid the eastbound section of Airline Highway in the vicinity of the incident and warning of possible lane closures in the area.
St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne provided an update around 6:15 p.m., revealing that the three Kenner police officers who were shot earlier that day were in stable condition, with two already discharged from the hospital. The sheriff expressed gratitude for the support offered by his command staff, tactical deputies, and himself during the standoff. The suspect responsible for the shootings was neutralized in the confrontation with law enforcement.
Earlier in the day, the Louisiana Fraternal Order of Police reported that one officer was in critical condition as a result of the incident. The three officers were shot during a standoff at a residence in Kenner Sunday morning. Two additional individuals were also found shot at the same location later in the day. The Louisiana Fraternal Order of Police called for prayers and positive thoughts for the swift and complete recovery of those injured.
SWAT team officers were dispatched to the home where the suspect was barricaded on Sunday afternoon. The suspect, later identified as 31-year-old Matthew Lathers, opened fire on an armored vehicle before ultimately being shot by a sniper and succumbing to his injuries at the scene. Lathers had been wanted in connection with a robbery and shooting incident earlier in the week that left a man in critical condition.
The relationship between the active shooter reported in the afternoon and the earlier shootings of the police officers and civilians remains unclear. Investigations are ongoing to determine any possible connections between the incidents.