BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – For the second time in less than a year, branches of Baton Rouge law enforcement gathered to announce the death of one of their own. East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Deputy Sgt. Shawn Anderson, 43, was gunned down in the line of duty late Saturday evening.
The shooting happened at Classic Cuts barbershop off O’Neal Lane just before 11 p.m. According to investigators, Sgt. Anderson was conducting an investigation there and encountered a suspect. While investigators have not released any details about what happened next, shots were fired and both Anderson and the suspect were hurt. Anderson succumbed to his injuries at Ochsner Medical Center.
The suspect was taken to the hospital and his condition is unknown.
Sgt. Shawn Anderson was a veteran of the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office of nearly 18 years.
“We’re focused on working with the family, praying for the family and making sure that our deputies have the help and the support that they need,” EBRSO spokeswoman Casey Rayborn Hicks said.
One year ago, Anderson was recognized for bringing a life into the world. Anderson and two other deputies were flagged down by a pregnant woman and her husband on the way to the hospital March 19, 2016.
The mother, Laura Walsh, was in labor and knew she would not make it to the hospital. Sgt. Anderson delivered the baby, a healthy boy named Declan, on the side of Tiger Bend Road.
“As the baby came out and once I had the baby in my hands, she looked at me and said, ‘’please don’t let my baby die.’ And I, my brain just went to mush after that,” Sgt. Anderson told 9 News a few days later.
Sunday messages of support and prayers spread across the city and online.
“This is a tragedy for our community,” Mayor Sharon Weston Broome said.
“Such a tragic event last night in Baton Rouge. Donna & I are praying for the family of the @EBRSheriff killed in the line of duty,” tweeted Governor John Bel Edwards.
Meanwhile, State Police have taken over the shooting investigation.
Sgt. Anderson began working at the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office in May of 1999. He served in various divisions including Parish Prison, Narcotics, K-9, Emergency Services Unit, Maritime Response Team and SWAT. Sgt. Anderson also served in Uniform Patrol at Burbank, Scotlandville and most recently Kleinpeter substation.
Sgt. Anderson was presented the Life Saving Award in 2010 for saving the life of a woman on Old Mississippi River bridge. He was also recognized in 2014 for serving more than sixty high risk warrants in 2013 as a part of SWAT with no injuries or shots fired. In March 2016 he was recognized for delivering a baby on the side of the road.
