Ruston, Ruston (KTVE/KARD) — A police investigation is underway after an 18-year-old boy was shot and killed in what appears to be a tragic accident. The victim was identified as Austin Johnson of Bossier. The Louisiana Tech community is asking for prayers at this time.
“The loss of a student on this campus will be felt by all of us. Here at the Institute of Technology we are a large family and we will miss those who are unfortunately no longer with us. '' said James Vue, a computer science student at Louisiana Tech University.
A police investigation is underway after an 18-year-old boy was shot in what appears to be a tragic accident.
According to Ruston Police, the incident happened at 1:48 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 2, inside the Raising Cane's drive-thru.
“And that's the real question. If they had operated with some proper safety precautions, he would still be with us. The gun, any gun, is loaded. We have to treat it in a safe manner,” Vue explained.
Johnson suffered a gunshot wound to the chest. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment and then airlifted to LSU Shreveport, where he died.
“It was very heartbreaking,” Vue added.
Louisiana Tech University Dean Chris Martin released a statement regarding the incident, saying, “His untimely death is heartbreaking.” He said Johnson was a freshman in the School of Business. Louisiana Tech officials said the counseling center will be available to support students and ease their grief.
“They emailed us about the event and said we could call counseling or come in for an appointment at any time,” said Allison Viator, a biology major at Louisiana Tech University. said. “And that's what they do for any serious incident. There's definitely a community here. If you need help, it's very easy to get help.”
Investigators charged 19-year-old Matthew Embry with negligent homicide.
The investigation is still ongoing. If anyone has information regarding this incident or any other crimes, please contact the Ruston Police Department at (318) 255-4141.
