COLFAX, La. — A man armed with an assault rifle, handgun and a knife walked into a small central Louisiana sheriff’s office on Monday afternoon, took a hostage and wounded a deputy before being shot, state police said.
The gunman, identified as 52-year-old John Futrell of Colfax, and the deputy, whose name was not released, were in the hospital, state police Trooper Scott Moreau said in a news release. Futrell is listed in critical but stable condition and the deputy was just listed as stable, state police said.
Futrell had the weapons plus extra magazines and ammunition for each firearm when he walked into the Grant Parish Sheriff’s Office at 3 p.m., state police said.
After he started shooting, deputies in the building returned fire. It is unknown if the deputy was the hostage.
Moreau said since it was an ongoing investigation that he would not release more details on what happened. Police did not release a motive.
A person who answered the phone at the sheriff’s office said the sheriff would not comment.
Copyright 2011 Associated Press