BATON ROUGE, La. — A man who allegedly killed a state trooper in the Baton Rouge area on Saturday was released from a hospital and escorted to a jail Tuesday in handcuffs that belonged to the officer he’s accused of murdering.
The Louisiana State Police released a photo of two other troopers escorting the suspect, Matthew Mire, from a hospital to the East Baton Rouge Parish Jail. The department added that the handcuffs seen in the picture are symbolic to every one of its officers.
Police say the threat from Mire began at about midnight Saturday when he is suspected of shooting two people in a home in Livingston Parish, where he also allegedly stole a Chevy Silverado.
About 30 minutes later, police say surveillance cameras showed Master Trooper Adam Gaubert backed into a location, where it’s believed he was finishing a crash report. Computer analysis reportedly indicated that the trooper made his final entry into the database at 2:21 a.m.
At 2:30 a.m., police say Mire was picked up on cameras entering the road Gaubert was on with his headlights off.
“That’s where we believe that he ambushed Master Trooper Adam Gaubert while he was seated in his unit. We also believe that Mire came to the Dutton Road location in order to stage for the shooting that he is suspected of committing at a nearby residence in Ascension Parish,” said Col. Lamar A. Davis, Superintendent of the Louisiana State Police.
Mire is then accused of shooting and killing one person at a home, and critically wounding another before leaving the scene in the Silverado.
Just after 5 a.m., police say another trooper encountered Mire on LA 42 west of LA 73. The trooper activated his emergency lights to notify the driver to move to another lane, and Mire allegedly began firing at the trooper before driving off at a high rate of speed. A police pursuit began.
At one point in the chase, police say Mire exchanged gunfire with a trooper and he escaped into a large, wooded area in the vicinity.
Multiple agencies joined a search for the suspect and shortly after 10 p.m., police say he was apprehended. He reportedly suffered a K-9 bite and had a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound to the leg. He was taken into custody, received medical attention, and was taken to a medical facility, where he underwent surgery.
Police say arrest warrants were obtained in East Batton Rouge Parrish for aggravated flight from an officer, attempted first-degree murder of a police officer. Additionally, arrest warrants were obtained in Ascension Parish for aggravated flight from an officer, attempted first-degree murder of a police officer, and first-degree murder of a police officer.
The sheriff’s offices in the respective parishes are investigating the incidents.
As for Gaubert, police say his body wasn’t discovered until a coworker came upon it at about 5 p.m. that day, several hours after he was apparently ambushed.
“The time between the murder of Master Trooper Adam Gaubert and the time he was found is absolutely unacceptable. And the results of this chaotic situation contributed to just that. However, the safety our troopers, our officers, and our personnel is paramount,” said Davis.