Officer’s name released in Saturday shooting

The Baton Rouge police officer involved in the Saturday night shooting of a man who fled after being pulled over is a four-year veteran assigned to the narcotics division, a police spokesman said Tuesday.

Nicholas Collins, 26, has been placed on paid administrative leave pending a routine internal investigation into the incident, which happened at about 11 p.m. Saturday in the 2700 block of Winbourne Avenue, Cpl. Tommy Stubbs said.

Collins flagged down Melvin Trosclair, 33, 1220 N. 28th St., after he saw Trosclair driving “very slowly,” Stubbs said. Trosclair pulled over, but got out of his car and ran away.

Collins chased Trosclair behind a house and tried to subdue him, Stubbs said. He declined to say exactly how the officer tried to stop Trosclair, who got away and ran back toward his vehicle.

Collins kept chasing Trosclair, who pulled out a stolen gun and began firing it at the officer, Stubbs said. Collins was not hit.

The officer returned fire, hitting Trosclair in the shoulder, Stubbs said. Trosclair tried to run away again, but other officers who had arrived captured him.

Trosclair was taken to a hospital and was treated for his wounds, Stubbs said. He has since been released and was booked late Monday into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on one count each of attempted first-degree murder, resisting an officer, illegal use of a weapon, illegal possession of a stolen firearm and felon in possession of a firearm.