Dramatic Video Released of New Orleans Police Shootout with Robbery Suspects
There was a shootout involving robbery suspects and New Orleans police last week at a CVS store Uptown.
Yesterday, the NOPD released some of the dramatic surveillance footage as well as body camera footage from the violent exchange.
Warning: This video contains graphic images.
The suspects are 26-year-old Richard Sansbury and 18-year-old Alan Parson. They are accused of entering the CVS in the 4900 block of Prytania Street at 6:06 am, drawing their guns and detaining the employees using zip-ties.
According to New Orleans Superintendent Shaun Ferguson, the two then filled up trash bags with bottles of pharmaceutical drugs. Officers were dispatched and three responding officers arrived within two minutes.
The video above depicts Officer Chad Clark's first interaction with suspects as recorded by his body camera. It shows him walking into the store with his gun drawn and he spots a suspect running toward the back of the store.
However, once Officer Clark spots one of the suspects with a gun, he retreats and alerts the other officers.
A surveillance camera in the store that's facing the entrance shows the duo fumbling with a bag full of pill bottles. They spill several bottles and attempt to gather them.
The officer's body camera picks up one of the suspects repeatedly telling the policemen to "back up." The officers stand their ground and suspects fire at the officers. Officer Clark is struck in the shoulder but it's unclear immediately which suspect fired the bullet.
Officer Clark retreats to the side of the store, gun still drawn, while the other officers dispatch for assistance. The two other officers take cover behind pillars outside the store.
The suspects eventually decide to sprint out the store with their guns drawn. Body camera footage from all three officers shows they all shot at the suspects fleeing through the parking lot.
Parson was quickly apprehended after collapsing not too far from the store in the 1300 block of Lyons Street.
Sansbury, on the other hand, was apprehended two hours later after police found him hiding outside of a home in the 1000 block of Upperline, near Coliseum Street.
Both suspects were taken to a hospital for treatment for their gunshot wounds. They were later released and booked on counts of armed robbery, false imprisonment and attempted murder of police.
Both remained in jail on Tuesday, with Sansbury's bail set at $1.15 million and Parson's at $1.7 million.
Officer Clark was hospitalized for his gunshot wound, but has since been released and is recovering at home.
All three officers remain on desk duty as an internal investigation continues, however, the department believes the officers acted justifiably.