State Police investigate shootings

State Police are investigating two officer-involved shootings in Acadiana, both of which occurred Friday.

The first shooting occurred Friday afternoon, when a Lafayette police officer shot and killed 41-year-old Thomas Helvik, of Port Allen, after Helvik allegedly robbed a bank and led police on a chase, State Police spokesman Trooper Stephen Hammons said Monday.

The second shooting occurred Friday night, when deputies with the St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Division shot and killed 32-year-old Alton Davis, of Cecilia, after Davis struck a deputy with his vehicle in a grocery store parking lot on La. 352 in Henderson, Hammons said.

The shooting of Helvik occurred while Lafayette police officers were pursuing a gold Ford F-250 believed to have been involved in the robbery of Home Bank on Ambassador Caffery Parkway earlier that day, Hammons said.

During the pursuit, Helvik drove off the roadway and into a field, Hammons said.

Officers chased Helvik into the field, where after a short distance he struck a fence, Hammons said.

Officers got out of their vehicles and encountered Helvik, who was shot and killed at the scene, Hammons said.

A Lafayette police officer fired multiple shots at Helvik, Hammons said.

Hammons declined to say whether Helvik was armed, citing the ongoing investigation.

“In order to protect the integrity of the case, there’s only limited amount of information we can release,” Hammons said.

Lafayette Police Cpl. Paul Mouton said the officer is on paid administrative leave.

Helvik is believed to have robbed two banks in Lafayette, one in Broussard and one in Opelousas over the past few weeks, authorities have said.

The shooting of Davis occurred at about 10 p.m. when deputies approached a 1999 Honda Accord in the parking lot of a grocery store during a narcotics investigation, Hammons said.

Davis, who was driving the vehicle, placed his vehicle in reverse and hit one of the deputies. Deputies fired shots, striking Davis, who later died from his injuries, Hammons said.

The deputy who was hit by the car was treated for minor injuries, Hammons said.

Hammons said multiple officers fired multiple shots during the incident. Hammons again declined to release information as to whether Davis was armed, citing the ongoing investigation.

Maj. Ginny Higgins, spokeswoman for the St. Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office, declined to release the number of deputies involved in the shooting “due to it still being an active investigation.”

The deputies involved are currently on administrative leave as per department policy, Higgins said.

This is the fourth officer-involved shooting in Acadiana and the third involving a fatality since August.

All four investigations remain ongoing, Hammons said.