Suspect shot by troopers

Published 11:47 pm Sunday, February 17, 2008

BATON ROUGE (AP) — State troopers who knocked on the door of a house to question the man inside about a traffic accident shot the man in the groin after he came to the door brandishing a shotgun, authorities said.

Within minutes of the shooting Saturday afternoon, law enforcement officers surrounded the house with squad cars and crime scene tape as curious neighbors stood nearby watching while Carson Arnett, 54, lay face down on the ground, hands cuffed behind his back, waiting for EMS to arrive.

Two troopers investigating a minor hit-and-run that happened just before 11 a.m. pulled up to Arnett’s home about three hours later, said Trooper Johnnie Brown, a spokesman for Louisiana State Police Troop A.

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The investigating troopers determined that the Dodge Caravan, parked in Arnett’s driveway, was involved in the wreck, but had left the scene, Brown said. When Arnett answered the door, the troopers established he was the driver and told him he was under arrest, Brown said.

Arnett slammed the door, but Trooper Arman Douglas opened it in time to see Arnett grabbing a shotgun out of a glass case, Brown said. Arnett then turned the barrel of the gun toward Douglas, who was standing in the doorway. Douglas told Arnett to drop the gun, then fired several shots toward Arnett, who was still in the house, Brown said.

The troopers then ran onto the driveway while a wounded Arnett emerged from the door with his hands up, Brown said. State police stood over Arnett as paramedics arrived to treat him. An ambulance took him to Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center.

Arnett suffered non-life threatening injuries, Brown said.

After his release, Arnett will be booked with attempted murder of a police officer, careless operation and hit-and-run, he said.

The wreck was minor with no injures and if Arnett had remained at the scene troopers would have issued him only a citation for careless operation, Brown said.

Neither Douglas nor Trooper Paul Charles, who was with him, was injured.

Douglas will be placed on paid administrative duty until an investigation into the shooting concludes, Brown said.

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Information from: The Advocate, http://www.2theadvocate.com