Deputy Kills Man Breaking into a Vending Machine
A man trying to steal cash from a pair of vending machines at Archbishop Rummel High School in Metairie was shot and killed by a deputy after a foot chase and a fight over the deputy's gun Tuesday morning, authorities said. Randy Gros, 40, was shot in the front yard of a home in the 3100 block of 40th Street in Metairie, Sheriff's Office spokesman Col. John Fortunato said. He was shot in the right shoulder and the left armpit. Another bullet grazed his chest.Gros used wire cutters to get to the machines, Maestri said. ipps caught up with Gros in front of the home in the 3100 block of 40th Street, Fortunato said. During a struggle with Gros, Lipps' Taser stun gun fell to the ground, Fortunato said. When Gros tried to grab Lipps' gun, the deputy shot him, Fortunato said. The resident of the 40th Street home said he heard voices and then gunshots. The resident, who did not want to be identified, said he opened his front door and found the deputy and the suspect on the ground in the leaves amid his display of Christmas lights and reindeer. Both the deputy and Lipps were conscious, the resident said. Gros was writhing in pain, holding his shoulder. The Rev. William Maestri, superintendent of schools for the Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans, called the shooting a tragedy. Maestri estimated the machines take in no more than about $100 each. "No one wants to have a loss of life, especially over something like this," Maestri said. Gros' death is the second this month related to an encounter with Jefferson Parish deputies. Patrick Fleming of Kenner died two days after Jefferson deputies used a Taser gun twice to shock him after a traffic stop on Dec. 2. [more]