INDReporter

Cops: Deceased in Jefferson St. shooting fired first

The New Iberia man killed overnight Saturday during a shootout on Jefferson Street pulled a gun and shot two others before one of the men returned fire and killed him, according to the latest account from Lafayette Police.

[This story was updated at 11:25 a.m. Thursday.]

The New Iberia man killed overnight Saturday during a shootout on Jefferson St. pulled a gun and shot two others before one of the men returned fire and killed him, according to the latest account from Lafayette Police.

Lafayette Police spokesman Cpl. Karl Ratcliff says in the press release that investigators “have determined through multiple witness accounts that the deceased, George Ford, produced and fired a handgun at two men he was in an altercation with on scene. The investigation has indicated that Ford shot the two men before one of them eventually fired back, fatally wounding Ford.”

Ratcliff adds that Ford’s handgun was found in his possession at the scene and that the shooting stemmed from an isolated altercation between Ford and the other two, both of whom were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Police have still not identified the two victims in the altercation, at least one of whom will likely face a more serious charge related to Ford’s death. Ratcliff says Lafayette Police have closed their probe into the shooting and forwarded their findings to the district attorney’s office “for review and assessment of charges.”

Ratcliff declined to identify the other people involved in the incident, telling The Ind, “We've completed our investigation. Any further release of information or details would be handled by the district attorney’s office as they deem fit.”

By Thursday morning, District Attorney Keith Stutes, when asked whether he planned to release names connected to the case, told The Independent he hadn't yet reviewed the file.

Police have also said they've determined that a St. Martinville man accused of discharging a handgun during the chaos following the shooting death of Ford was not connected to the fatal shooting.