NEW ORLEANS — Darren Bridges, the man accused of killing NOPD officer Marcus McNeil in 2017, was found mentally incompetent to stand trial after a hearing Thursday that highlighted Bridges' problems communicating with his defense attorney.
Criminal Court Judge Franz Zibilich ordered treatment for Bridges and scheduled a follow-up hearing for April 25th.
NOPD officer McNeil was shot on Oct. 13 2017 while on patrol in New Orleans East with three other officers. According to police, the officers tried to stop Bridges near the intersection of Tara Lane and Lake Forest Boulevard, however Bridges ran away.
Police say McNeil encountered Bridges alone and tried to use a stun gun to stop him, but Bridges fatally shot McNeil. Another officer, Officer Stephen Stephano, heard the gunshots and ran to the help Officer McNeil. Officer Stephano opened fire and shot Bridges three times. Bridges later surrendered to police.
McNeil pleaded not guilty to the shooting in late November of 2017.
Bridges is described as a "career criminal" in court records. His criminal history includes more than a dozen arrests and at least three guilty pleas, going back to 2004.
More on this story is coming up on later editions of Eyewitness News.