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Suspect shot Monday during incident near Maurice is in custody; will be booked on Attempted Murder of a Police Officer after release from hospital

As the ongoing investigation into the May 1st, 2017 officer involved shooting continues, Louisiana State Police investigators have identified the suspect as 46-year-old James Derouen of New Iberia.
The initial investigation by State Police revealed that on the morning of May 1, deputies with the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a suspicious man armed with a gun in the area of Kirk Road and Morton Road.
Deputies requested assistance from local agencies and State Police.
Derouen fled from officers into a wooded area and was later located in an open field where he raised his firearm towards officers. A Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Deputy and a State Trooper fired at Derouen, striking and injuring him.
Derouen is currently in custody at Lafayette General Hospital where he is receiving treatment for non-life threatening wounds. He is being held on an active warrant for one count of LRS 14:27-30 – Attempted Murder of a Police Officer, and upon his release from the hospital he will be booked into the Vermilion Parish Correctional Center.
This investigation remains active, and additional charges may be pending.

Vermilion Today

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Abbeville, LA 70510
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Gueydan, LA 70542