I'm Colonel Robert Hodes, Superintendent of Louisiana State Police. You're about to view a critical incident briefing video that is intended to give the community a better understanding of the incident that occurred. The video is inclusive of evidence related to the incident, which may include 911 calls, body one camera footage, and other relevant information. As this comprehensive investigation develops, our understanding of the incident may change as additional evidence is collected, analyzed, and reviewed. The department's ability to investigate these incidents relies on the impartial and transparent investigations, as well as considering the potential criminal responsibility of those involved. On September 30th, 2025, the Louisiana State Police Region 1 Force Investigation Unit responded to LA 431 near DAB Lane in Santa, Louisiana within Ascension Parish to investigate an officer involved shooting involving a Louisiana State Police Trooper. Based on the investigative material collected to date, the following sequence of events has been established. At approximately 1:49 a.m., a trooper with Louisiana State Police Troop A observed a white Saturn Outlook traveling on LA 431 near LA 935 with an inoperable right rear tail light. The trooper activated his overhead emergency lights and initiated a traffic stop. [Music] 431 and 935 with 15 Julia Delta 15. >> Recordings confirmed that the driver later identified as Brandon Nicholas was slow to stop. The Saturn ultimately came to a stop on LA 431 just south of Snow Sheets Road. Due to the abnormal delay in stopping and exiting, the trooper had become increasingly suspicious. The trooper then gave commands for the driver to exit the vehicle. Driver, you can come on back here for me. Come on back here for me, please. Yeah. Get out. Get out and come on back here. After another prolonged delay, Nicholas eventually exited and both met near the rear of the Saturn. Hey, come on over here for me, man. My phone dropped. >> You good? >> Let's get over here. We ain't in the road. Police. The reason why I'm pulling you over, you got tail light out. >> It's not out. That just got tape on. >> You can't see that thing at all. >> My bad. If you pull it off, you can. It's on. >> What happened to it? It's just broke. >> Car wash did that, >> man. What car wash you go to? >> Uh the little car wash like down on 74. I'm talking about >> which side which side 74 towards >> towards like airline or you talking about back towards like >> St. Gabriel? >> No. Close by like uh it is >> almost right there by Dutch town by the school. >> The one across from Harvest. >> Yes sir. >> Okay. Make sure I stay away from that. I don't bring your headlight or tail light or not. I >> I usually try to wash it myself. It just happened like about a week ago. Damn. >> It just happened sir. >> I got you. I'm going to pick my wife up from work. >> Is it your car? >> Trash. >> Yes, sir. Perfect. >> After explaining the reason for the stop, the trooper asked for Nicholas's driver's license. Nicholas said the driver's license was in his vehicle. The trooper then asked Nicholas if there were any weapons in the vehicle, to which Nicholas responded, "No." >> You got your license on? >> It's in the car. >> All right, cool. You going to grab it for him? >> Yes, sir. >> Look, before we go reach any guns or anything in the car? >> No, sir. >> Perfect. Go ahead and grab it for him. As the trooper and Nicholas walked to the open driver's door of the Saturn, the trooper smelled the odor of marijuana emitting from inside the vehicle and observed a semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine on the driver's side floorboard. >> Hey, come back here. No, get out the car. Come here. >> The trooper ordered Nicholas to turn around, begin placing him in handcuffs, and informed him he was being detained. >> Get out the car. Turn around for him. Put your hands behind your back. All right. So right now you just being detained. >> The trooper ordered Nicholas to turn around, began placing him in handcuffs, and informed him he was being detained. As the trooper attempted to detain him, Nicholas forcefully resisted, lunged into the vehicle, and reached towards the gun. Knowing there was a firearm inside and observing Nicholas reaching towards it, the trooper continued attempting to gain control of Nicholas's hands inside the vehicle. Within moments, Nicholas put the car in drive. He began to aggressively accelerate while the trooper was still partially inside the vehicle. At that moment, the trooper feared Nicholas would gain control of the pistol while he remained trapped inside the driver's compartment. While being dragged, the trooper drew his firearm and fired multiple rounds at Nicholas while disengaging from the moving vehicle. During the physical struggle, the trooper's body camera became dislodged. >> Right now, you just being detained. Okay, >> stop. Get the off. Get out. Oh, you >> you will now see the same interaction through the body warn camera footage. >> Right now, you're just being detained. Okay, >> stop. Get off. Get out. Shot fire. Shot fire. forward. Then the car driver Nicholas fled north on LA 431 and the trooper immediately pursued. Approximately 1.5 mi north of the original location, the vehicle stopped in the roadway. >> Lights out. We're heading north of 431. [Music] be stopping near dead lane. [Music] Driver, get out of the car. You hit >> 1050. >> Drive >> 1050. Suspect stop near Prescott Drive. Get out of the car. >> During this portion of the video, the trooper continues to give loud verbal commands as he waits for backup to arrive. For time purposes, this portion of the video has been sped up. >> Can you tell how many times is occupied? One time blackmail with gun on the floorboard by the driver's seat. Other additional units are going 1097. Assisting troopers and deputies arrived on the scene and made contact with Nicholas, who had sustained critical injuries. Responding units requested emergency medical services and administered CPR. Nicholas was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased. Responding deputies located a pistol discarded in a ditch between the location of the initial traffic stop and where Nicholas's vehicle ultimately came to rest. The pistol collected matched the description of the firearm the trooper previously observed under the driver's seat. Forensic testing conducted at the Louisiana State Police Crime Lab directly linked the recovered firearm to Nicholas. It was later discovered that Nicholas was prohibited from lawfully possessing a firearm due to previous felony convictions. This investigation remains active and additional information will be released as it becomes available. The Louisiana State Police Bureau of Investigations will continue to investigate this incident. Once complete, the final report will be submitted to the District Attorney's Office for review. If you have any information, photos, or videos, please visit the Louisiana State Police website and click on the suspicious activity link to report anonymously. You can also call the Louisiana State Police Fusion Center hotline directly. Thank you for watching this critical incident briefing video. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we strive for transparency and thoroughess in our investigations.