Sgt. Nicholas Tullier
Officer: East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office, Sergeant Nicholas W. Tullier
Date: 5/5/2022 Location: Baton Rouge, LA FACTORS (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,15)
Perpetrator(s) Involved: Gavin Long
Criminal Activity History/Involved: None reported. / Yes, Long ambushed the officers out of retaliation for prior police involved shootings of black men.
Mental Illness: Yes, Long was reported as having PTSD, suffering from paranoia and prescribed anxiety medications.
Substance Abuse History/Involved: Unknown. / Yes, the toxicology report revealed Long had alcohol and crystal meth in his system.
Race/Sex/Age: Black/Male/29
What prompted the initial contact with the killer? At slightly past 8:35 a.m. on July 17, 2016, Baton Rouge Police Department (BRPD) Police Officer Matthew Gerald and East Baton Rouge Deputy Sheriff Bradford Garafola were inside a convenience store when a civilian came in and alerted them that a man dressed in black fatigues and armed with a rifle was walking around outside the store. The officers called for backup over the radio, went outside looking for that man and were joined by BRPD Corporal Montrell Jackson who was nearby at a car wash.
Actions taken by subject toward police: As the three officers were being alerted to his presence, that man, Gavin Long left in his car, drove around the perimeter of the shopping area, and observed the officers as they searched for him. A trained Marine combat veteran, Long parked his car on the other side of the building, snuck up behind the officers and ambushed them with his semi-automatic rifle fitted with enhanced optics. While Long was in the midst of executing those three officers, BRPD Cpl. Chad Montgomery and his partner arrived and immediately came under fire with Montgomery taking a round in the head. Long then moved around the building and began shooting at other deputies who responded to the scene. East Baton Rouge Deputy Sheriff Nicholas Tullier was struck first in the head, then again in his body while Sgt. Bruce Simmons sustained a shot in his arm, disabling it.
Reactions by the police: Six officers from BRPD’s Special Response Team (SRT) responded to the scene and with their AR-15 rifles they neutralized Long with 45 well-aimed shots.
How murdered? Deputy Tullier was ambushed and seriously wounded while investigating the whereabouts of an active shooter. For nearly six years Tullier battled with the brain damage, paralysis and other injuries suffered that fateful day, ultimately dying of sepsis from them.
What could have been done differently for the officer to still be alive? NA, Deputy Tullier bravely responded to the scene of an active shooter.
Would the officer have been justified to use deadly force before being murdered? NA, Deputy Tullier was shot while Long was concealed and a good distance away from him.
Outcome for the cop-killer: Long was justifiably shot dead by responding officers.
Miscellaneous: Long was associated with the Nation of Islam, in online videos he “espoused black separatism and advocated violence against white “oppressors," including police who killed black men.” Long traveled from Missouri to Baton Rouge to enact revenge for the recent police shooting of Alton Sterling which was falsely portrayed as racially motivated.
