Investigators looking into a fatal officer-involved shooting in Pineville have determined that shooting to be justified.

Rapides Parish Sheriff's spokesperson Lt. Tommy Carnline says Pineville Police Officer Vince Deville responded to a call and was confronted with the suspect, Christopher Leblanc, who was brandishing a large sword.

This officer was given no alternative

Carnline says witnesses said they heard the officer order the suspect to drop his weapon "repeatedly and loudly."

"The suspect then charged toward Officer Deville," Carnline says. "And as the officer was trying to create distance, backing up, giving verbal commands, the suspect kept coming toward him and he discharged his weapon, firing multiple rounds, hitting the suspect multiple times in the torso area."

Leblanc was pronounced dead at the scene. Carnline says the officer responded to a tense, uncertain, rapidly evolving situation and performed in accordance with his training and the law.

"The fact remains that the subject failed to comply with the officer's commands," Carnline said, "and he had to use deadly force on him, not only to save himself, but the other civilians in the area."

Detectives say the sword Leblanc was holding was 38-inches long and extremely sharp with a slight curve. Carnline says Leblanc was an immediate and continuous danger to Officer Deville and the other civilians in the area. He says the use of deadly force is not something any officer wants to do, and this situation could have been avoided.

"Whenever someone confronts an officer, and they are ordered to comply, that's what they should do," Carnline said. "And this officer was given no alternative."

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