Caddo Sheriff’s Deputy Cleared in Suicidal Man’s Shooting Death

The Caddo Parish District Attorney’s Office has completed the review of the June 19, 2013 shooting that resulted in the death of Joseph James Hanegan. No criminal charges will be filed against the Caddo deputy involved in the shooting.

According to the Caddo Parish DA's office, the deputy involved in the shooting was confronted by a suicidal person who stated he had a gun and refused to show his hand despite clear demands to do so.

Hanegan, 28, had moved to a partially concealed location, grabbed a pair of wire cutters and repeatedly said he had a gun. He suddenly stood, raised and pointed the wire cutters in his hand at the deputy. The deputy, whose name has not been released to the press, then shot to stop the threat. He then immediately called for medical treatment for the individual.

Hanegan was taken to LSU Health Shreveport where he was pronounced dead.

The DA's office says it believes that after a failed attempt to burn himself up in a vehicle with a blow torch, the deceased man decided that suicide by cop was an easier alternative, adding that this was a life-threatening encounter that required the deputy to transition from taser to handgun.

The events which occurred in this case were recorded by the police car dashboard camera inside the deputy's vehicle. The statements of the deceased man's family members, responding firemen and two other deputies present at the scene match the video recording and the evidence recovered from the scene.

The sheriff’s deputy demonstrated a very professional demeanor based on training to resolve this tragic encounter, said the DA.

The autopsy of Joseph Hanegan indicated that he died of a single gunshot wound to the chest. Hanegan’s blood contained high levels of methamphetamine, as well as other narcotics.