Critically Injured East Baton Rouge Deputy Is 'Fighting for His Life,' Sheriff Says
"It's in God's hands, and we have to see what happens," the sheriff said.
— -- An East Baton Rouge deputy who was shot in the head and stomach by a gunman who "intentionally targeted and assassinated" cops "is currently fighting for his life," according to Louisiana officials.
Nicholas Tullier, 41, of the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office, was listed in critical condition after the Sunday morning shooting that killed three of his fellow officers.
Tullier works in the Uniform Patrol Traffic division and has 18 years of service with the office, officials said.
East Baton Rouge Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said Monday the gunshots caused "extensive damage" to Tullier.
"He is currently in ICU, and there is a machine helping him breathe," Gautreaux said. "He is in very, very critical condition."
Gautreaux said he spoke with both surgeons that worked on Tullier.
"Their biggest concern is the head trauma," Gautreaux said.
"He's been in and out, so to speak," Gautreaux said. "His vitals have gone up and down."
"We're just praying for him. It's in God's hands, and we have to see what happens," he said. "But he's not in good shape at all."
"We ask for your continued prayers, for his healing and for his family," Gautreaux said.
Louisiana State Police Superintendent Col. Mike Edmonson said the gunman, former U.S. Marine Gavin Long, who was killed by a Baton Rouge police S.W.A.T. team, ignored civilians in the area and "intentionally targeted and assassinated" cops. Edmonson called it a "calculated act."
Three local law enforcement officers were killed and three were injured, including Tullier.
Two weeks after the deadly police-involved shooting of Alton Sterling and two days after the police shootings, faith and community leaders with Together Baton Rouge condemned the violence today, urging the city to move forward together through proposed steps like community policing and one-on-one conversations with residents.
"We are reeling from the effects of violence in our city," the Rev. Patty Snyder said at a news conference.
"We are all grieving deeply," she said, adding that "the grief is going to linger."
Snyder said there’s a risk “that our city will fall backwards” into racism, economic divisions, gender divisions and education divisions -- "divisions we can no longer tolerate."
The city must "work together," she said. "Our hope is going to lie in concrete actions that we are going to take as a community ... to address the systemic issues that bring forth the violence."