The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office on Wednesday provided additional information about a chaotic scene in a quiet Mandeville neighborhood Friday night during which they said a man shot a woman and was, in turn, shot by a Mandeville police officer.
The information provides a new timeline of events outside a house in the 700 block of Heavens Drive, where police fatally shot a man after he allegedly killed a woman outside the residence.
In a news release Saturday morning, the Sheriff’s Office said the first officer used a Taser to try and subdue the man, even though the man had just shot the woman. But late Tuesday, Deputy Chief George Cox said the first officer did indeed fire his gun at the man after he shot the woman.
And on Wednesday morning, the Sheriff’s Office issued a news release reiterating that timeline of events, citing investigators' review of the officers' bodycam video footage. Mandeville police officers are equipped with body-worn cameras, Mandeville Police Chief Todd Schliem said.
The Sheriff's Office is investigating the shooting because it involves a police officer, authorities said.
The St. Tammany Parish Coroner's Office on Tuesday released causes of death for Laina Lee and David Vang, the man and woman involved in the shooting. Coroner Christopher Tape's office said Lee, died of several gunshot wounds and that Vang died of a single gunshot wound.
The autopsies were performed this week, with sheriff's investigators sitting in, in keeping with protocol for any death that is under investigation.
“We worked closely with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, which is the lead agency in this investigation, to ensure that all necessary evidence was properly collected and documented, and to ensure they are able to reach accurate conclusions in their probe of this incident,” Tape said in a statement.
Mandeville police have referred most questions about the shooting and investigation to the Sheriff's Office. Schliem, however, did say the officers involved have been assigned to nonstreet duty while the investigation continues.
Vang, 46, and Lee, 48, both died after Mandeville police officers arrived at a residence, responding to a welfare check call Friday night, the Sheriff’s Office said.
As the first officer arrived at the residence, Lee exited the home and informed the officer that a man inside was threatening to kill her, according to the updated news release on Wednesday from the Sheriff's Office.
She told the officer that the man was headed for the back of the residence. As the officer headed toward the back of the home, the man emerged from the front of the residence, armed with a gun, and "immediately shot the female multiple times," according to the news release.
After reviewing the officer’s body camera footage, the Sheriff’s Office said that the officer reacted by returning fire while retreating to cover.
At that point, Vang raised his hands while still holding the firearm as the officer commanded Vang repeatedly to drop his weapon. Additional officers arrived and told Vang to drop his gun, and one of the responding officers used a Taser on Vang. After being shocked, the Sheriff’s Office said Vang pointed his gun at the officer. At that point, another officer fired on Vang.
Lee and Vang were both transported to an area hospital, where they died, the Sheriff's Office said.
No officers were injured.
The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s major crimes division is investigating the shooting and has reviewed body camera footage of the incident, which has not yet been made public.
Editor’s note: This story has been revised to reflect additional information regarding the sequence of events provided by the Sheriff’s Office late Tuesday.