13-year-old in custody, accused of shooting Louisiana deputy

May 25, 2022 GMT

WALDHEIM, La. (AP) — A 13-year-old boy is accused of shooting a Louisiana sheriff’s deputy who was investigating a burglary early Wednesday, authorities said.

St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Deputy Kenneth Doby went to Waldheim, north of Covington, after a suspected business burglary was reported about 3 a.m., according to a news release from the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office.

News outlets reported that Doby was shot once in the back during a struggle with a 13-year-old who was walking in the area. Despite the injury, Doby was able to help arrest the boy before paramedics arrived, Sgt. Suzanne Carboni said in the news release.

Doby, a four-year veteran of the department, was alert and being treated for non-life-threatening injuries, the sheriff’s office said.

“Right now, it looks like he’s going to have a full recovery,” Sheriff Randy Smith told WVUE-TV. “We’re very lucky. ... We’re just thankful he’s going to be OK, because it could’ve been a lot worse.”

The boy was arrested on charges of attempted first-degree murder, resisting a police officer with force or violence, resisting an officer, battery of a police officer causing injury, simple burglary, illegal possession of a handgun by a juvenile, and illegal possession of stolen goods, a news release said.

He is from the Waldheim area, the news release said. Since he’s a juvenile, his name was not released.

“From what they tell me, during the interview he didn’t show any remorse,” Smith said.

It was unknown if he has an attorney who could speak on his behalf.