By Darragh Doiron
BEAUMONT — Officers from the Beaumont Narcotics Units and Street Crimes Unit were involved in a shooting regarding an undercover narcotics buy on Wednesday evening.
At about 9:20 p.m., during a controlled drug buy in the parking lot of the Jack In The Box on Washington Boulevard in Beaumont, officers attempted to block in the suspect vehicle of from which the occupants had just sold them narcotics. The driver of the vehicle began to flee backwards and slammed into an undercover narcotics SUV. The driver of the vehicle then placed the vehicle into drive and began to move forward toward officers approaching the vehicle. Officers then, fearing for their lives, fired several rounds into the cab of the truck, stopping the vehicle, according to Beaumont Police Department information.
The driver of the vehicle was taken to Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries. His name is not being released at the time due to notification of the next of kin.
The two other occupants of the vehicle at the time of the incident were taken into custody for delivery of a controlled substance. They were transported to the Beaumont Police Department for statements in regard to this incident.
The suspect vehicle was towed to a local secure facility for processing. Other physical evidence located at the scene at the time of the incident was a bullet-proof vest, which had been taken off the body of the driver of the vehicle by EMS personnel. Also found lying on the ground was cash in the denomination of 20s and a clear plastic baggy of suspected crack cocaine. These were all submitted as evidence in this incident.
The two officers involved in this incident were placed on administrative leave, in accordance with Beaumont Police Department policy. The investigation into this matter continues at this time.
