Louisiana State Police release video of pursuit, shootout in Vinton

Published 2:51 pm Monday, October 9, 2023

Louisiana State Police have released video of the Aug. 26 officer-involved shooting in Vinton that ultimately ended in the self-inflicted gunshot death of a Jacksonville, Texas, man.

State Police Public Affairs Lt. Melissa Matey said multiple law enforcement agencies were involved in the shooting, which followed a Cameron Parish Sheriff’s Office traffic stop on a 2007 Lexus sedan for brake and headlight violations.

Body-worn cameras and dashboard camera footage from the Cameron deputy was uploaded to the Louisiana State Police YouTube page on Monday. The footage is available at  https://youtu.be/PSXLgGEmLoQ. Viewer discretion is advised.

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In the video, the deputy asks the driver — later identified as 34-year-old Spencer J. Wilson — for his license and registration and explains the reason why he was pulled over. Wilson tells the deputy his name is “John” and says he doesn’t have his license. When the deputy asks Wilson to get out of the car, Wilson flees the scene by car and begins firing at the deputy. A female passenger is in the car with him.

The pursuit ensued northbound on La. 27 and on several streets through the Carlyss and Sulphur areas while other law enforcement agencies assisted.

The deputy chased the sedan as far as Burton Shipyard Road before Wilson turned the vehicle around and began driving toward the Cameron deputy and firing at his vehicle, striking the deputy’s windshield twice.

Video from a Louisiana State Police trooper is then shown as Wilson’s sedan passes the trooper on La. 108, firing at his unit.

“Let Sulphur PD know he’s shooting at anything with lights,” the trooper tells dispatchers.

As Wilson approached the intersection of Gum Island Road and La. 108, he failed to negotiate a slight left-hand curve, traveled off the roadway, and struck a ditch. The Lexus traveled through the ditch, crossed over La. 108, and crashed into a second ditch south of the roadway. Wilson exited the vehicle and continued firing upon responding officers.

Body-cam footage from a trooper’s vest shows the unit being fired upon. The trooper yells, “Gun fight. Gun fight,” and returns fire.

At least five law enforcement officers returned fire as Wilson retreated to a nearby open grass field while firing a fully automatic rifle. Wilson — wearing body armor — was later located with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Calcasieu Parish Coroner’s Office.

The female passenger was later located near the crash scene. She was interviewed and released.

One officer from the Sulphur Police Department sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to the head. The officer was treated and released. No other law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.