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NATCHEZ — Concordia Parish Sheriff’s deputy Walter Mackel has been arrested on suspicion of domestic abuse and battery.

Concordia Parish Sheriff David Hedrick told Monroe’s KNOE that Vidalia Police responded to a call of a disturbance at Mackel’s home on Tuesday. As a result, Mackel was arrested, booked into the Concordia Parish Jail and released on a $7,500 bond.

Mackel is suspended with pay, Hedrick said, adding he will not make any decisions regarding Mackel or the situation until he has all of the facts.

“I am concerned for all parties,” Hedrick said. “Mackel has been a good employee. I’m here to protect the entire parish and I hold my deputies to a higher standard. And if this case proves to be true, then I’m going to have to make other decisions, of course. But until he has his day in court, I can’t prejudge somebody on something that happened when I was not present.”

The Vidalia Police Department is investigating the incident.

Mackel was shot and wounded in July 2019 by a suspect while investigating a robbery report and received the Good Cop Award later the same year.