A Louisiana man has been charged with murder following the death of a deputy U.S. marshal. The deputy was shot while federal officials attempted to serve an arrest warrant. Authorities announced this development on Tuesday.
Clarence A. Frazier Jr., 48, from Alexandria, is accused of shooting a deputy U.S. marshal. When officers attempted to serve a warrant related to an earlier sexual battery charge, Frazier allegedly barricaded himself inside his home and fired on the officers.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana states that Frazier faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment or the death penalty if convicted of federal officer murder.
Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche remarked, Tragically, the defendant’s alleged actions claimed the life of a dedicated law enforcement officer who was simply doing his duty.
He emphasized that the alleged perpetrator, now in custody, will face justice.
The incident occurred on July 13. Members of the U.S. Marshals Service and the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office located Frazier at his residence, obtaining a search warrant for the property.
The federal criminal complaint reveals that Frazier had previously failed to appear in state court for trial on a charge of sexual battery involving a person with infirmities.
After law enforcement officers announced their presence and entered the home, Frazier allegedly locked himself in a bedroom and opened fire, hitting Deputy U.S. Marshal Drew Hanson. Authorities detained Frazier following an extended standoff.
Tragically, Hanson later succumbed to the gunshot injuries received in this confrontation. Authorities remember him as a devoted husband, father, and son.