A Monday night shooting incident involving a Concordia Parish sheriff’s deputy has left many residents in Ferriday angry and confused.

A 38-year-old Ferriday resident, Fredrick Ron Lollis, was killed. Law enforcement officials say he had pointed a gun at the deputy; some witnesses told reporters the man was unarmed.

This incident is a terrible tragedy for all involved, but it is also a situation that calls for calm. We need to allow investigators to do their jobs and find out what happened.

The Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office has done the right thing by turning the investigation over to state police. The parish coroner has also requested that the Jefferson Parish coroner conduct the autopsy.

None of these actions imply any wrongdoing on the part of our local law enforcement, but the recusal gives the investigation greater credence because local authorities’ allegiances won’t be called into question.

Our prayers go out not only to the family of the man killed but also to the deputy and his family.

This is a difficult situation for everyone, but it would only be made worse by elevating the emotions involved.

We need to allow the expert &045; and independent &045; law enforcement officials to look at all of the facts and determine what happened before making accusations or inflaming the situation.

We also urge community leaders and law enforcement officials to work together to help keep the situation calm and to keep residents safe and secure.