Police Storm LA Office, Kill Man Who Shot Five, Killing two

Police early this morning stormed a downtown Alexandria law office, which earlier Thursday had been the scene of a shootout in which five people were shot – at least three seriously injured and two others confirmed dead. Upon entering the Giordano & Giordano Law Office in the 800 block of Washington Street, police discovered the suspected gunman dead.

The standoff between police and the gunman, identified as John C. Ashley, 63, of Alexandria, started just after 2 p.m. Thursday and lasted until just before 2:30 a.m., at which point officers from throughout Central Louisiana stormed the law office in a hail of bullets and tear gas.

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Police had been working late into the night Thursday urging Ashley’s surrender. Throughout the standoff, the gunman and police exchanged shots, and police repeatedly fired tear gas and other non-lethal means into the house.

Police had said there were two people inside the office along with the gunman. Those two victims were killed by the gunman, authorities said after the standoff ended.

Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy identified the victims who died in the standoff as lawyer Joey Giordano and Marty Thiels, a postman who apparently had gone to the law office to deliver mail.

Following the standoff, Alexandria Police Chief Daren Coutee said officers had hoped to bring the gunman out alive.

“We tried to remove the suspect from the building, but unfortunately it did not end as we had hoped,” Coutee said.

Earlier in the standoff, the gunman shot at a robot sent in after 7 p.m. to check on the welfare of the hostages. The robot then was used to negotiate with the gunman, who earlier in the day refused to answer the phone and speak with police.