Louisiana trooper shot in head during traffic stop

A Louisiana State Trooper was shot in the head and critically injured while trying to stop a driver suspected of being drunk or drugged Sunday evening in southwestern Louisiana, state police officials told the Associated Press.

The trooper, who state police Col. Michael Edmonson identified to the Associated Press as Master Trooper Steven Vincent, 43, was listed in critical condition at a local hospital following the incident near Bell City, La., according to Fox-8.

Edmonson said Vincent is a 13-year veteran of the force and comes from a law enforcement family.

One of his brothers is also a state trooper and another is a town police chief, Edmonson said.

He said 54-year-old Kevin Daigle of Lake Charles, La., was arrested. Charges against Daigle will include attempted murder of a police officer, Edmonson said.

Vincent was shot after receiving a call that Daigle was driving erratically and had driven his pickup truck into a ditch.

Capt. Doug Cain, a state police spokesman, confirmed to the Associated Press that Trooper Vincent was shot in the head.

Edmonson says several civilians subdued Daigle, put the trooper's handcuffs on him and gave the trooper first aid.

Other drivers stopped to help, Sgt. James Anderson, spokesman for state police said.

"As I understand it, they rendered aid to the trooper, they called for help using the trooper's radio, and they detained the suspect," state police spokesman Sgt. James Anderson told the Associated Press.

He said Vincent was in critical but stable condition Sunday evening, and the man accused of shooting him was also in a hospital.

"He struggled with the guys who came to assist -- had some scrapes on him and so on," Anderson said.

He said police had received calls Sunday about a maroon Dodge pickup truck with a camper shell that was driving erratically. A bit later, it was reported in a ditch.

Edmonson, posted a message to the department's Facebook page asking for prayers for the injured officer.

The message's subject line was "Trooper Critically Injured — Prayers Needed."

"The entire LSP family is requesting your thoughts and prayers following the shooting of a Louisiana State Police Trooper in the Lake Charles area," Edmonson wrote in the post.

"The incident occurred as the Trooper conducted a traffic stop on a suspected impaired driver and was shot during the course of the interaction. The suspect was subsequently detained by passing motorists as additional citizens rendered aid to the Trooper until assistance arrived on the scene.

Further information and the Trooper's identity and status will be forthcoming as the investigation continues.

Please take a moment from your Sunday afternoon to send prayers and well wishes to the Trooper and his family in this critical time," Edmonson's message said.

Within an hour, 5,100 people had shared the post and nearly 2,000 had posted messages saying they were praying.

Edmonson said the officer's name and status will be released as the investigation continues.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.