A man suspected of sex crimes in St. Tammany Parish faces charges of attempting to murder police officers, during an hours-long standoff with a New Orleans Police Department SWAT team Tuesday.
Police say Charles Mangrum barricaded himself in a hotel room in the 12300 block of I-10 Service Rd. in New Orleans East Tuesday morning when U.S. Marshals attempted to bring him in. An NOPD Special Operation Division team mobilized to assist.
"Officers learned that Mangrum also had an adult female subject inside of the room with him at the time," said police. "During negotiations, the female subject was released from the room unharmed in the mid-afternoon while Mangrum remained in the room."
Officers then tried to use tear gas to flush Mangrum out. Instead, cops say Mangrum responded with violence.
"Mangrum responded by firing live rounds at the officers, who were inside an armored tactical vehicle," police said. "The vehicle was struck by the gunfire, but no officers were injured in the exchange."
Finally, shortly after 1 a.m., Mangrum surrendered. In addition to the charges he faces in St. Tammany Parish, Mangrum faces charges in New Orleans of attempted murder, possession of a firearm by a felon, and obstruction of justice.
"This was the third time in a week that this unit had to be deployed to a scene for a barricaded subject," said New Orleans Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson. "These incidents are stressful for all involved, so having to handle three in the stretch of seven days is indeed a feat."