NEW ORLEANS — Police revealed a little more about what happened two weeks ago while serving a warrant on a man wanted in a deadly double shooting. It ended with the suspect being shot dead after a brief standoff in the 3300 block of South Robertson.
Police say one U.S. marshal's bullet struck Terrell Russell, 22, in the chest, killing him, when he would not surrender to the the NOPD's Violent Offenders Warrant Squad and the regional U.S. Marshals Fugitive Recovery Task Force.
“Mr. Russell appeared in the doorway, holding a rifle behind his back. The officers attempted to negotiate his surrender for several minutes, pleading with him to drop his weapon. Mr. Russell did not comply with that and raised his weapon towards the officers,” said Scott Illing, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern Louisiana District.
Both an NOPD officer, and a senior deputy marshal, fired. The chief says task force members did not have body cameras due to complicated legal issues when multiple agencies are involved and U.S. Department of Justice protocols must be followed. A plan to implement them as early as April has been in the works since last year.
“So while we do not have video from a body worn camera at this time, we are urging, we are encouraging anyone that may have personal cell phone footage, information, whatever, that they can give to us to help us further our investigation,” asked Shaun Ferguson, Superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department.
The family members of Russell were at home watching the 11:00 a.m. press conference live as it was being streamed on the internet. They said they disagreed with the version police gave, so they went to police headquarters immediately to voice their opinions.
“If we would have known that he had a warrant out for him, he would have turned himself in. Now he got a five-month-old baby, and now his baby gonna grow up without a father,” said Terrell’s cousin Theresa Russell.
“And I heard the chief said he tried to reach out to the Russell family numerous times, and that's a lie, and if you're lying about this, what else y'all lying about?” asked Malcolm Russell, Terrell’s father.
Terrell's father did say that NOPD had called the family once and before the family arrived, the chief said he has already set up a meeting with Terrell's mother for Tuesday. That meeting lasted more than 90 minutes. Afterwards, the father said he wants proof his son was holding the weapon. And is disappointed there is no video.
“With a killing like this, they should have, but this is New Orleans,” Malcolm said.
Police say the investigation is ongoing with federal and independent monitors.
Terrell Russell's father says he is going to ask the police monitor and district attorney for more information.