Shooting of Police Officers, Baton Rouge (2016)
The Baton Rouge police officer shooting on July 17, 2016, was a tragic incident in which a lone gunman, Gavin Eugene Long, opened fire on police officers, resulting in the deaths of three officers and injuries to three others. This attack occurred against a backdrop of heightened tensions following the killing of Alton Sterling, a Black man, by police on July 5, which sparked widespread protests and discussions about police violence against African Americans. Long, who was also a military veteran, was reportedly inspired by recent violence against police officers in Dallas, Texas, where five officers were killed just days prior.
The shooting unfolded when police responded to reports of a man with a rifle, leading to a confrontation in which Long engaged in a shootout before being killed by police. Investigators found that Long had interests in black separatism and had expressed extremist views online, though they found no evidence linking him to any organized group. The event underscored ongoing national debates about policing, gun control, and racial tensions in the United States, as well as the challenges surrounding legislation aimed at addressing gun violence. The aftermath of the shooting raised questions about the safety of law enforcement and the impact of societal issues related to race and policing.
Shooting of Police Officers, Baton Rouge (2016)
Date: July 17, 2016.
Place: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Summary
The Baton Rouge police officer shooting was a lone-gunman attack that killed three police officers and wounded three others. The attack was allegedly in retaliation for police abuse of African American suspects.
Key Events
- July 5, 2016—Police kill Alton Sterling, a black man, in Baton Rouge, inspiring protests across Louisiana and in several other states.
- July 7, 2016—A lone gunman kills five police officers in Dallas, Texas, claiming that the attack was in response to police abuse and violence against African Americans.
- July 17, 2016—Gavin Long opens fire on officers responding to a call in Baton Rouge, killing three and wounding three others before being killed by members of the SWAT unit.
Status
The Baton Rouge police killings and the Dallas police shooting of the same month both became part of a broader debate over the abuse of African American suspects by police and the treatment of African Americans in the justice system. President Barack Obama condemned the attacks on officers as an attack on the rule of law in the United States, but has also expressed sympathy for the Black Lives Matter and Stop the Killing movements and the growing recognition of police violence against African Americans in many communities across the United States. The Washington Post’s interactive coverage indicates that more than 900 people were shot and killed by police in 2016. Others responding to the attacks on police called attention to gun ownership laws in Louisiana and Texas as contributing factors in the attacks. In both instances, individuals were able to legally purchase weapons, equipment, and ammunition used to attack police. Due to the influence of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and other anti–gun control lobbies, efforts to create new gun control legislation are expected to be unsuccessful.
In-Depth Overview
The July 5 shooting of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge and the subsequent leak of an amateur video of the incident led to protests around the city. The activist groups Stop the Killing and Black Lives Matter held separate vigils and marches in the city, and elsewhere around the nation. The subsequent video of the police killing of African American Philando Castile during a traffic stop in Minnesota also contributed to the unrest. On July 7, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported that threats had been detected against police in Baton Rouge, recommending caution and increased security. During a July 7 Black Lives Matter protest in Dallas, Texas, five police officers were shot by a perpetrator, Micah Xavier Johnson, who claimed to be responding to police murders of African Americans. This attack was considered a possible source of inspiration for the July 17 attack in Baton Rouge.
On July 17, at around 8:40 a.m., police received calls reporting a man carrying a rifle walking on Airline Highway. Police arrived and found the suspect, dressed in black and carrying a rifle, behind Hair Crown Beauty Supply. The officers attempted to confront the individual, who responded by opening fire. The first shots were reported at 8:42 a.m. At 8:44 a.m., police called in to the station with reports of officers down. At 8:46 a.m., as other officers arrived, the suspect was located behind Benny’s Car Wash, where he exchanged fire with police and was shot and killed. The portion of Airline Highway where the attacks occurred had been the site of antipolice protests in the weeks following the police killing of Alton Sterling. Before his death, the shooter killed three officers (Brad Garafola, Mathew Gerald, and Montrell Jackson) and wounded three others; one was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
Police identified the shooter as Gavin Eugene Long, a native of Kansas City, Missouri, who had served in the US Marine Corps for five years, earning the rank of sergeant. Long had been deployed to Iraq, where he worked as a data network specialist. He was also a Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal recipient, and also received several other awards. The shooting occurred on Long’s twenty-ninth birthday.
During their subsequent investigation, police learned that Long held an interest in black separatist and antigovernment movements. Having legally changed his name to Cosmo Ausar Setepenra, Long self-published three books on masculinity, health, and other topics that were available on Amazon at the time of his death. In a series of YouTube videos found online, Long espoused the virtue of armed rebellion against the state. In what has been interpreted as a video suicide message, Long stated that he was not affiliated with any organization and that his actions were taken under his own volition. Some evidence suggested that Long had sought to become a member of the Washitaw Nation, a black nationalist group that alleges their members are descended from a black Native American population that existed before the arrival of Columbus. Long also had taken an interest in conspiracy groups theorizing that the government engages in brain experimentation and "remote neural monitoring." Though Long had an interest in black separatism, FBI and police investigators found no evidence that Long’s attack was motivated by his membership in a radical organization. Investigators later reported that Long used an IWA Tavor SAR 5.56-caliber rifle and a Springfield XD 9.9mm pistol during the shootout. A second assault rifle was found in his rental car.
Key Figures
Brad Garafola: One of three officers killed in the July 17 shootings.
Sid Gautreaux: Baton Rouge Parish sheriff.
Matthew Gerald: One of three police officers killed in the July 17 shootings.
Montrell Jackson: One of three officers killed in the July 17 shootings.
Gavin Eugene Long: Shooter who killed three police and wounded three others in Baton Rouge.
Bibliography
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Berlinger, J. (2016, August 4). Gavin Long: Who is Baton Rogue cop killer? CNN. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/18/us/who-is-gavin-long/
Buchanan, L., Burgess, J., & Fessenden, F. (2016, July 17). How the shooting of police officers in Baton Rouge unfolded. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/07/17/us/what-happened-in-the-shooting-of-police-officers-in-baton-rouge.html
Hennessy-Fiske, M., Jarvie, J., & Kaleem, J. (2016, July 17). Marine Corps veteran identified as gunman in fatal shooting of three police officers in Baton Rouge." Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-baton-rouge-police-shooting-20160717-snap-story.html
Jansen, B. (2016, July 18). Police: "Sheer brutality" as 3 officers slain in Baton Rouge ambush. USA Today. Retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2016/07/18/3-officers-shot-and-killed-baton-rouge/87239118/
Shapiro, E., Hayden, M. E., & Blake, P. (2016, July 18). Gunman identified in shooting that killed 3 Baton Rouge officers. ABC News. Retrieved from http://abcnews.go.com/US/police-officers-dead-shooting-baton-rouge/story?id=40646533
Visser, S. (2016, July 18). Baton Rouge shooting: 3 officers dead; shooter was Missouri man, sources say. CNN. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/17/us/baton-route-police-shooting/