Dozens of people stood filming and holding back tears along Airline Highway Wednesday afternoon as police escorted the hearse carrying Deputy Charles Riley, who was killed in a struggle at the Iberville Parish Courthouse Monday that resulted in gunfire.
“What’s going on in the world that we’re losing a lot of law enforcers and medical professionals?” Gonzales resident Brenda Blazek. “There’s so much crazy stuff going on. We need these people.”
The procession brought Riley’s body to Ourso Funeral Home in Gonzales. Mourners from nearby parishes gathered to pay tribute along the route.
His hearse was flanked by four police motorcycles and followed by a string of police cars belonging to multiple jurisdictions, including St. Gabriel, where he patrolled as a deputy in the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Details of Riley’s upcoming funeral have not been made available yet. Many of those posted along Airline Highway said they knew Riley and wanted to show their support, while others were not close with the deputy but felt compelled to honor a life lost in the line of duty.
“More people should’ve come, I think,” Blazek said. “Because he was from this community.”
Kit Janis said she recalled Riley as child, running around with other kids at the St. Theresa school in Gonzales. She didn’t know him personally, she said, but heard he was a good-natured officer and beloved by others in the department.
“I’m just so sorry for the family,” Janis said, choked up. “I felt like if that was me, I’d want to know people cared.”
On Tuesday, friends remembered Riley as a man who loved his family and making people laugh. His loss will feel like “a piece that is missing” in St. Gabriel, they said.
What we know about the shooting so far
During the struggle at the courthouse Monday evening, three men were struck by gunfire: Riley, Capt. Brett Stassi Jr. and a suspect being questioned at the time. Stassi is in the hospital in critical but stable condition, the sheriff’s office said. Riley and the suspect, Latrell Clark, were killed.
According to the Louisiana State Police, Clark, of White Castle, Louisiana, learned at the end of questioning that he was under arrest in connection with an ongoing sex crimes investigation. Clark attempted to disarm Stassi, Riley responded, and multiple shots rang out, a preliminary investigation revealed.
The Louisiana State Police have not released further information on how the altercation unfolded, including if Clark was hit by one of the officers’ bullets or if he shot himself.
Friends, family, loved ones and community members line up to donate blood after two Iberville Parish Sheriff’s deputies were shot, Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at the Iberville Parish Courthouse in Plaquemine, La.
The Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office has organized daily blood drives to support Stassi’s recovery. The next drive is at the St. Gabriel Community Center on Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Donations made in Stassi’s name generate a $30 credit toward his medical recovery, the sheriff’s office announced.
As his son goes through multiple surgeries, Sheriff Brett Stassi has expressed gratitude for the support around the parish and state. He also mourned Riley, calling him a hero of the department.
“His dedication to duty and commitment to serving others will never be forgotten,” the sheriff said in a statement Tuesday. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and fellow deputies as we honor his sacrifice.”
