A Louisiana police officer who was providing security at a school basketball game in New Orleans was shot and killed after a mask-related dispute, officials said, and a suspect was immediately taken into custody.
Tulane University police officer Martinus Mitchum was shot on Friday while working at George Washington Carver High School on Block 3,000 on Higgins Boulevard, the New Orleans Police Department said.
John Shallerhorn, 35, was charged Saturday morning for armed robbery and first-degree murder of a police officer, Fox 8 reported, citing the arrest records of the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office.
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After arriving at school on Friday, Shallerhorn allegedly stole a 39-year-old man who was sitting in a vehicle in the parking lot, lifting his shirt to brandish a firearm and demanding the victim’s medallion, police said.
The victim handed the chain to Shallerhorn, who tried to enter the school, but was prevented from wearing a mask.
Corporal Martinus Mitchum of the Tulane University Police Department was shot dead on February 26 while working on the security of a school basketball game in New Orleans. (Tulane University)
A physical altercation ensued with a school official, the police said, before Mitchum intervened and escorted Shallerhorn out.
Shallerhorn, when he was leaving, would have shot the officer twice. He then placed the gun on the floor and was taken into custody, police said.
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Before Mitchum’s name was released, New Orleans Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson said the murder victim was also a reserve officer at the Second City Court.
John Shallerhorn, 35, is charged with armed robbery and first-degree murder of a police officer. (Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office)
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“We are deeply saddened by the tragic and senseless death of TUPD Cabo Martinus Mitchum,” Tulane police chief Kirk Bouyelas said in a statement released on Saturday morning. “Corporal Mitchum was a dedicated policeman who had a heart of service for the Tulane community. We reached out to his family and are offering support to his fellow police officers during this difficult period. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and everyone the official colleagues with whom he served. “
Records show that Shallerhorn was previously arrested in August 2019 for alleged indecent behavior towards a young man, but the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office refused the charge in November 2019.