Man Killed by Deputies After Allegedly Aiming Weapon in St. Charles Parish

A 58-year-old man was fatally shot by deputies from the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office in Hahnville, Louisiana, on Thursday morning. The man, identified as Charles Verdin, was reportedly threatening two individuals with what appeared to be a realistic pellet rifle and later aimed the weapon at officers, leading to the deadly encounter.

The incident unfolded around 7 a.m. after the Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reporting a man pointing a gun at two people near Nicholas Street, where Verdin lived. Deputies responded to the scene and found Verdin sitting in a van parked behind a warehouse close to his residence. Despite numerous attempts to de-escalate the situation, Verdin refused to comply with their commands.

Family members and neighbors, including Verdin’s relative Anita Nicholas, were nearby during the shooting. Nicholas, 72, recounted the moments leading up to the shooting, describing how sheriff’s vehicles had surrounded Verdin’s van. According to Nicholas, deputies used a loudspeaker to instruct Verdin to exit the vehicle and drop the weapon, but he did not comply. The situation escalated when Verdin allegedly aimed what appeared to be an AR-15-style rifle at the officers.

Authorities later revealed that Verdin’s weapon was, in fact, a pellet gun that closely resembled a real firearm. Believing their lives to be in imminent danger, the deputies opened fire, striking Verdin multiple times. Despite the rapid response from emergency medical personnel, Verdin succumbed to his injuries at the scene.

Verdin, known in the community by the nickname “Charlie Brown,” lived in a trailer behind the warehouse where the confrontation occurred. His cousin, Peter Thibodeaux, 52, confirmed that the van where Verdin was found was parked in his yard. Thibodeaux expressed disbelief over the incident, while neighbors lamented the tragic outcome.

The Sheriff’s Office is conducting an investigation into the shooting, reviewing the actions of both Verdin and the responding officers. Authorities are also examining the circumstances that led Verdin to threaten others with the pellet rifle. As the investigation continues, the community is left grappling with the loss of a local resident and the violent nature of his death.

This incident marks yet another fatal encounter involving law enforcement in St. Charles Parish, raising questions about the response to situations where individuals are armed with non-lethal, but realistic-looking weapons.