The man arrested in connection with the shooting of Corp. Burt Hazeltine has been identified as 56-year-old John Paul Devillier, of Gulfport, Miss.
Devillier had a violent past, said St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne. In 2013, he was terminated from his position with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for “conduct unbecoming.” He was also divorced in 2013 and had arrests for aggravated assault and domestic battery.
Hazeltine was shot several times while directing traffic in a Paradis school zone shortly before 9 a.m. Thursday morning. Capt. Pat Yoes, spokesman for the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office, described the shooting as an ambush.
Yoes said Devillier would be booked today on first-degree attempted murder and remain in custody.
The incident began when Devillier was driving his 2014 Chevy Silverado westbound on Highway 90 and was attempting to turn on Louisiana Street. When the traffic cleared, he turned onto the street and pulled in to the Time Saver parking lot where he began to argue with Hazeltine.
Devillier was apparently upset because the deputy did not stop the traffic and allow him to turn.
Cary Morrell, of Thibodaux, was driving to a business call in St. Rose when he witnessed Devillier attempting to turn left at 8:45 a.m.
“He was blowing his horn ridiculously and I couldn’t figure out why,” said Morrell, who didn’t realize what had happened until he returned home and saw the story about the shooting on the Herald-Guide Facebook page. “It just reminds you of the grace that God puts in your life.”
Devillier, who the sheriff said had returned to the area for a funeral, left the Time Saver after arguing with Hazeltine and went to his father’s home, which was located a few blocks away. While Devillier was currently living in Gulfport, he has family that live in the area and is originally from St. Charles Parish.
Devillier then returned to the Time Saver. While on his way to the store, the Sheriff’s Office says Devillier called the Sheriff’s Office, said he was an NCIS agent and demanded to speak to the sheriff.
He eventually hung up the phone and parked at the Time Saver. He called for Hazeltine to come to his vehicle, but as the deputy approached he saw a weapon in the dashboard, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Hazeltine drew his service weapon and demanded that Devillier show his hands, but Devillier held the gun upside down out of the window and fired several shots through the windshield at the deputy with another gun that he had in his other hand, according Greg Champagne.
Although shot three times, Hazeltine was able to return fire, striking Devillier’s vehicle. He also radioed for assistance.
Champagne said Devillier acted alone and two good Samaritans, who he would not name at this time, assisted Hazeltine.
Responding deputies confronted Devillier, who was sitting in his truck. Officers say that Devillier threw the weapons out of the vehicle and was arrested by deputies.
Denise Rocco, of Luling, said she was shopping in the Dollar General in Paradis when “I heard pops. I heard shots.”
Rocco said she, along with other store employees and customers, rushed outside the store when they witnessed sheriff’s deputies rush to a silver truck parked in the Time Saver parking lot near the school zone.
She saw a chaotic scene with people “ducking and dodging” as they tried to determine the source of the gun fire.
“I heard a woman screaming ‘an officer is bleeding,'” Rocco said as she saw deputies arrive at the scene. “They showed up and apprehended the man … yanked him out of his truck.”
Rocco pointed out a silver truck with a black passenger window parked in the Time Saver parking lot as the Devillier’s vehicle.
Terence Brashears, of New Orleans, a Coca-Cola delivery man, also was in the Dollar General when he heard two rounds of pops, four to five per round and also ran outside the store.
Brashears also witnessed several deputies rushing to the silver truck and pull the driver out. They wrestled the man to the ground and landed in a ditch where they apprehended and cuffed him.
Sheriff Champagne said the investigation is continuing.
Be the first to comment