On a Sunday afternoon in August 2015, Senior Trooper Steven J. Vincent, a 44-year-old male, was carrying out his duties in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana. He responded to a report of a reckless driver and located the suspect vehicle, a Dodge pickup truck, in a ditch near the intersection of LA Hwy 14 and Fruge Road. Trooper Vincent made contact with the driver, unaware of the tragic turn events were about to take. During this interaction, the driver produced a shotgun and fired, striking Trooper Vincent in the head.
The suspect, identified as Kevin Daigle, attempted to flee the scene following the shooting. However, several passersby witnessed the horrific event and sprang into action. They managed to detain Daigle, while others immediately began rendering aid to the fallen trooper and called for emergency assistance. The courageous actions of these citizens were instrumental in the swift apprehension of the suspect. Responding law enforcement and medical personnel arrived shortly after, taking Daigle into custody and airlifting Trooper Vincent to Lake Charles Memorial Hospital.
Despite the valiant efforts of the medical staff, Trooper Vincent succumbed to his injuries the following morning, on August 24, 2015. A veteran of the U.S. Army, he had served with the Louisiana State Police for 13 years and had previously been with the Lake Charles Police Department for 11 years. His death was a profound loss to his family, including his wife and nine-year-old son, and the law enforcement community.
In the aftermath of the shooting, the legal process moved forward. Kevin Daigle, who was 54 at the time of his conviction, was tried for the murder of Trooper Vincent. On October 20, 2022, a jury found him guilty, and he was subsequently sentenced to death for the senseless killing of the dedicated state trooper.
