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After murderous rampage, Sunset honors fallen police officer

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SUNSET - The small town of Sunset, located in St. Landry Parish, is trying to make sense of a murderous rampage that left a woman and a police officer dead, a store destroyed and others injured.  

Harrison Riley Jr. is accused of stabbing a woman to death, wounding two others and killing his cousin, Sunset Police Officer Henry Nelson Wednesday in the close-knit community. Chief of Police Luis Padilla placed a black bow outside the town's police department Thursday to honor Nelson.

"It's a sad day for the entire office. It's very sad," he said. "He was a big, heavy-set teddy bear with a smile from left to right...never mad or mean. When he arrests you, he arrests you with a smile."

Nelson served as a police officer in Sunset for 13 years. Padilla says Thursday would have been Nelson's last day at work before taking a month-long vacation to fish and visit his teenage daughter. Instead, Nelson was killed with his own gun while trying to help others from danger.

"We don't wish that on anybody. We really don't," said Padilla. "We don't get paid enough to do this job. We do it because we love it. We do it because we love to help people."

Funeral services for Nelson have not been announced.

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