Alexandria, LA. – A Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy narrowly avoided serious injury after investigators say a suspect threw an incendiary device and then rushed the deputy with a long floor scraper early Wednesday in Alexandria.
According to information released by the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office, the incident happened shortly before 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Officials said the deputy was walking toward his marked unit to begin his shift when 36-year-old Robert Joshua Ellis allegedly threw an object at him.
When the deputy turned, investigators say Ellis charged while swinging a heavy-duty floor scraper described as about four feet long. The deputy sidestepped the attack, and authorities say the blade cut the deputy’s uniform jacket. The deputy then created distance, drew his duty weapon, and ordered Ellis to the ground, and Ellis complied.
The involved deputy is assigned as a School Resource Officer.
The item thrown was a glass bottle filled with gasoline with a rag in the spout, commonly known as a Molotov cocktail. Officials said sheriff’s detectives and the RPSO Bomb Squad responded and that a search warrant was executed at the residence, where additional incendiary devices were found and rendered safe.
Ellis was arrested for attempted first degree murder of a police officer, aggravated battery of a police officer, and manufacture or possession of an incendiary device, along with additional charges such as criminal trespass and criminal damage to property.
Training Tips from Travis Yates
Training tips are offered strictly as general, industry-standard reminders drawn from common safety practices and typical policy considerations. They are not based on any inside knowledge of this specific incident, do not presume what actions were taken, and should not be interpreted as commentary on the decisions made at the scene.
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Start each shift with a quick environmental scan around your vehicle and immediate surroundings before committing to close distance.
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Maintain reactionary gaps and clear escape lanes when a subject is unknown or behaving erratically.
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Treat thrown objects as a threat and move to distance and cover immediately.
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Use clear verbal commands, stabilize the scene, and avoid rushing in when the suspect has edged weapons or improvised impact tools.
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If an incendiary device is suspected, establish a safety perimeter, notify supervisors, and request specialized resources per policy.
Dr. Travis Yates has pioneered a behavioral risk framework to help officers and leaders identify, assess, and articulate risk in rapidly evolving, uncertain situations. Find out more about the FOCUS Behavioral Risk Framework.
