Officers Killed in Baton Rouge Shooting Identified
— -- Authorities in Baton Rouge have released the names of the officers killed in the shooting on Sunday, as well as some of those who were injured.
A man, later identified as Gavin Long, 29, a former Marine from Kansas City, Missouri, opened fire on officers responding to a 911 call of a man in all black walking around with a rifle Sunday morning, officials said. Three officers were killed and three others were wounded in the shooting, and Long died at the scene, police said.
The East Baton Rouge Sheriff's office identified 45-year-old Brad Garafola, a 24-year veteran of the department, as being killed during the attacks.
The Baton Rouge Police Department named Montrell Jackson, 32, and Matthew Gerald, 41, as having been killed. Jackson had served in the department "for a decade," the office said, while Gerald had been working there for less than a year. Both were members of the Uniform Patrol Bureau, the department said in a post on Facebook, and "were great examples of what it means to protect and serve."
The sheriff's office also identified two injured officers. Nicholas Tullier, 41, is said to be in critical condition, while Bruce Simmons, 51, is recovering from non-life threatening injuries, according to the sheriff.
Tullier, who had served for 18 years, and Simmons, a 23-year veteran, were both members of the Uniform Patrol Traffic division.
"These men are husbands, fathers, sons and brothers," Sheriff Sid Gautreaux said of the officers from his office. "We are devastated to lose one of our own, and another is now in a fight for his life."
"We are asking for your prayers at this time," the sheriff said. "We will get through this together as a family and as a community."
The police department did not release the names of the injured.
In its Facebook post, the department asked that people "join us in prayer both for those affected, and for peace across Baton Rouge and our entire nation."
