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http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/2332991.htmlTraffic stop turns violent
Gunfire kills businessman
By KIMBERLY VETTER AND MARK F. BONNER
Advocate staff writers
Published: Feb 18, 2006
Advocate staff photo by LIZ CONDO
East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene investigator Van Calhoun investigates the scene of a shooting Friday at Greenwell Springs and Joor Road.
A local businessman was shot dead in a parking lot Friday after a scuffle with a 32-year-old Baton Rouge police officer.
Investigators are unsure if the shots that killed the victim came from the police officer’s gun, or from a witness who, after hearing the officer yell for help, grabbed his own weapon and fired.
“At this point, there was enough gunfire in the air that we aren’t sure who delivered the fatal shot to the victim,” said Fred Raiford, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesman.
An autopsy is scheduled for 10 a.m. today, Raiford said, which should reveal who fired the shot that killed 24-year-old George Temple II.
There is no indication that Temple, was armed, Raiford said.
Temple owned Expert Sound, 7221 Airline Highway, friends said.
The identities of the police officer and the other man involved were not released Friday.
Sgt. Don Kelly of the Baton Rouge Police Department said it is department policy not to release the name of an officer involved in a shooting until 24 hours after the incident.
The shooting occurred about 2:15 p.m. in the parking lot of the AutoZone at 9007 Greenwell Springs Road at the intersection of Joor Road.
Temple’s body lay under a blue tarp next to his black Mercedes S550 while deputies investigated the scene, one arm sticking out from under the cover.
Kelly said the officer was off-duty and working as a motorcycle escort for a funeral procession going westbound on Greenwell Springs Road. The officer pulled Temple into the parking lot for a traffic violation. The procession never stopped, Kelly said.
“The ticket was written, a verbal shouting match took place and then it turned physical,” Raiford said.
Temple punched the officer several times in the face, according to Raiford, and the officer hollered for help before shots were fired.
After hearing the shots, a customer walking out of AutoZone got one of the two guns in his car, Raiford said, and began firing.
Although Raiford said he is not sure how many shots hit Temple, he knows the witness fired three shots and the police officer fired two.
He said the witness had two different guns in his car, but that he doesn’t “know what caliber they were and I don’t know which one he used. I don’t even know if they were handguns.”
Kelly said police officers usually carry one of two different firearms, a .40-caliber or 9 mm handgun.
The witness was interviewed at the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office. Raiford would not say if he could face charges.
“We have not had the opportunity to interview the officer at this point,” he said. “We’d like to do that before releasing more information on what actually happened out here.”
Kelly said the officer, who has been with the department for 4‰ years, is in good condition at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, and was expected to be released late Friday.
He was treated for face contusions and possibly a fractured jaw, Kelly said.
Because the officer’s weapon was discharged, Kelly said the Police Department would conduct an administrative and internal investigation.
Temple’s friend, Willie Parker, said Temple liked to box, had a year-old child and was attending Southern University.
“He was a successful man trying to make it in life,” Parker, 22, said. “He always worked hard for what he had; a lot of people love him; it’s sad.”
Other friends said Temple, a 1999 graduate of Glen Oaks High School, was a quiet man.
According to court records, Temple was on probation for simple battery and simple damage to property at the time of his death.
A case against him also was pending involving counts of simple battery, simple trespassing and simple criminal damage to property, according to records at the Clerk of Court’s office.
Gunfire kills businessman
By KIMBERLY VETTER AND MARK F. BONNER
Advocate staff writers
Published: Feb 18, 2006
Advocate staff photo by LIZ CONDO
East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene investigator Van Calhoun investigates the scene of a shooting Friday at Greenwell Springs and Joor Road.
A local businessman was shot dead in a parking lot Friday after a scuffle with a 32-year-old Baton Rouge police officer.
Investigators are unsure if the shots that killed the victim came from the police officer’s gun, or from a witness who, after hearing the officer yell for help, grabbed his own weapon and fired.
“At this point, there was enough gunfire in the air that we aren’t sure who delivered the fatal shot to the victim,” said Fred Raiford, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesman.
An autopsy is scheduled for 10 a.m. today, Raiford said, which should reveal who fired the shot that killed 24-year-old George Temple II.
There is no indication that Temple, was armed, Raiford said.
Temple owned Expert Sound, 7221 Airline Highway, friends said.
The identities of the police officer and the other man involved were not released Friday.
Sgt. Don Kelly of the Baton Rouge Police Department said it is department policy not to release the name of an officer involved in a shooting until 24 hours after the incident.
The shooting occurred about 2:15 p.m. in the parking lot of the AutoZone at 9007 Greenwell Springs Road at the intersection of Joor Road.
Temple’s body lay under a blue tarp next to his black Mercedes S550 while deputies investigated the scene, one arm sticking out from under the cover.
Kelly said the officer was off-duty and working as a motorcycle escort for a funeral procession going westbound on Greenwell Springs Road. The officer pulled Temple into the parking lot for a traffic violation. The procession never stopped, Kelly said.
“The ticket was written, a verbal shouting match took place and then it turned physical,” Raiford said.
Temple punched the officer several times in the face, according to Raiford, and the officer hollered for help before shots were fired.
After hearing the shots, a customer walking out of AutoZone got one of the two guns in his car, Raiford said, and began firing.
Although Raiford said he is not sure how many shots hit Temple, he knows the witness fired three shots and the police officer fired two.
He said the witness had two different guns in his car, but that he doesn’t “know what caliber they were and I don’t know which one he used. I don’t even know if they were handguns.”
Kelly said police officers usually carry one of two different firearms, a .40-caliber or 9 mm handgun.
The witness was interviewed at the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office. Raiford would not say if he could face charges.
“We have not had the opportunity to interview the officer at this point,” he said. “We’d like to do that before releasing more information on what actually happened out here.”
Kelly said the officer, who has been with the department for 4‰ years, is in good condition at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, and was expected to be released late Friday.
He was treated for face contusions and possibly a fractured jaw, Kelly said.
Because the officer’s weapon was discharged, Kelly said the Police Department would conduct an administrative and internal investigation.
Temple’s friend, Willie Parker, said Temple liked to box, had a year-old child and was attending Southern University.
“He was a successful man trying to make it in life,” Parker, 22, said. “He always worked hard for what he had; a lot of people love him; it’s sad.”
Other friends said Temple, a 1999 graduate of Glen Oaks High School, was a quiet man.
According to court records, Temple was on probation for simple battery and simple damage to property at the time of his death.
A case against him also was pending involving counts of simple battery, simple trespassing and simple criminal damage to property, according to records at the Clerk of Court’s office.
