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Sheriff Stassi reflects on one year since deputy killed, son wounded at courthouse
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IBERVILLE — One year after the Iberville Parish Courthouse shooting that killed Deputy Charles Riley, Sheriff Brett Stassi still has difficulty processing what happened.
"I don't know really how to describe my feelings today," Sheriff Brett Stassi said.
Riley was killed when rape suspect Latrell Clark, who was at the courthouse being interviewed, grabbed hold of Captain Brett Stassi Jr.'s gun and fired it. Stassi Jr. was wounded. Clark was also killed.
Body camera video obtained by WBRZ Investigative Unit shows Stassi Jr. standing in the doorway of an interrogation room with Clark behind him. As Stassi Jr. reaches for handcuffs, Clark reaches around him and takes his gun off his hip.
Riley was standing nearby and rushed to jump on Clark. The shooting killed Riley and wounded Stassi Jr. and Clark, who turned the gun on himself.
"My son and others are alive today because of his actions," Stassi said.
In the aftermath, Riley's family and the family of two other deputies filed civil suits against the sheriff's office. The suits allege negligence on Capt. Stassi's part for having his gun with him in the interview room.
"There's several different things that could have been changed, but hindsight is always 20/20, and we will learn from what went on, and we will make it better," Stassi said.
Stassi said the sheriff's office has since changed several policies, including allowing guns in interrogations.
Despite the pending suit, Stassi said he wants the community to uplift the Riley family.
"He truly represents what is a true hero and he will always be remembered at the IPSO as a true hero," Stassi said.
The Riley family's lawsuit against the sheriff's office is on hold while they wait for an ad hoc judge to decide whether all current 18 JDC judges should be recused, as the family requested.
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