In a tragic turn of events on April 26, 2020, Baton Rouge Police Lieutenant Glenn Dale Hutto Jr., a 45-year-old male, was shot and killed in the line of duty. A 21-year veteran of the force, Hutto was ambushed while responding to a tip about a murder suspect's whereabouts. The incident unfolded in the Howell Park neighborhood on Conrad Drive, shaking the community and the law enforcement fraternity.
The day's violence began earlier when Ronnie DeWayne Kato Jr., 36, allegedly shot and
killed his girlfriend's stepfather, 58-year-old Curtis Richardson, during a domestic dispute. Following that fatal encounter, a manhunt for Kato led Lieutenant Hutto and other officers to a residence on Conrad Drive. As Hutto and his partner, Corporal Derrick Maglone, were positioning themselves in the backyard to locate the suspect, Kato opened fire on them with a semi-automatic rifle. Hutto was struck and, according to reports, Kato stood over him and fired several more times at close range. Lieutenant Hutto succumbed to his injuries at the scene, while Corporal Maglone was critically wounded.
Following the shooting of the two officers, Kato barricaded himself inside the home, leading to a tense four-hour standoff with a SWAT team. During the standoff, there was an exchange of gunfire, but no further injuries were reported. Eventually, police negotiators were able to convince Kato to surrender, and he was taken into custody without further incident.
Ronnie Kato faced a litany of charges for the day's violent rampage. An East Baton Rouge Parish grand jury indicted him on two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Lieutenant Hutto and Curtis Richardson. He was also charged with multiple counts of attempted first-degree murder, home invasion, and domestic abuse charges. It was later revealed that Kato had a history of domestic violence and had previously made threats to kill police officers. In 2022, Kato pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder, 40 years for a manslaughter charge, and 50 years for an attempted second-degree murder charge, with no possibility of parole.
