Preliminary autopsy results of two men killed in an incident involving Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Deputies show they died of gunshot wounds. The coroner classified the manner of death as homicide.
It all started Wednesday night when narcotics officers got a tip and went to the IHOP to buy drugs from the suspect. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joe Lopinto says when the driver realized it was a sting, he tried to get away and backed into a deputy. Lopinto explained that was when two detectives started shooting. He says their bullets killed the driver and the passenger, as well as hitting a deputy on the other side of the car.
Today, the coroner's office announced that the autopsies were delayed one day, according to JPSO protocol involving officer-involved deaths, to give the families the opportunity to have an independent physician observe the autopsies. The coroner's office says neither family chose to do that.
The report says the driver of the vehicle, Chris Joseph, died from five gunshot wounds. The passenger, Daviri Robertson, died from a single gunshot wound.
The case remains under investigation.