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Officers from the Louisiana State Police were on the scene. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

(Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

(Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

Vidalia police officer assisted in rerouting traffic on U.S . 84 during the four-hour standoff Thursday. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

Squad cars from various law enforcement agencies crowded the highway during the incident.

aw enforcement responded to the shooting of Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy Walter Mackel at River Manor Apartments in Vidalia Thursday. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

Adams County Sheriff's deputies responded to the standoff Thursday. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

Adams County Sheriff's deputies responded to the standoff Thursday. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

Emergency personnel and officers from the Concordia Parish Sheriff's Office, Adams County Sheriff's Office and other agencies responded to a standoff in Vidalia. (Ben Hillyer / The Natchez Democrat)

VIDALIA — A Concordia Parish deputy is recovering in a Jackson hospital after being shot Thursday by a suspect who was later found dead of a gunshot wound in a Vidalia apartment complex.

CPSO deputy Walter Mackel was shot when he and two other deputies went to the River Manor Apartments on Carter Street, to investigate an early morning robbery, said CPSO Chief Deputy David Hedrick.

Hedrick said when his deputies made contact with the suspect at the apartment, the suspect immediately shot Mackel. Mackel returned fire, Hedrick said.

“The other two officers who were with (Mackel) were able to get (Mackel) out of the apartment,” Hedrick said.

In a news release, the Louisiana State Police, which is investigating the shooting, named the suspect as Kaleb Melton, 21, of Vidalia. The news release also said that both Mackel and Melton were shot in the exchange of gunfire. The state police said Mackel received moderate to severe injuries and remains in stable condition at University Medical Center in Jackson.

For nearly four hours, law enforcement from as far away as Monroe, Louisiana, responded to the shooting. The Louisiana State Police along with deputies and officers from surrounding parishes and counties surrounded the complex until the agents from the U.S. Marshals office arrived at the scene.

Hedrick said Melton had locked himself in an apartment and remained locked inside until approximately 4 p.m. when officers entered the apartment and found Melton dead of an apparent gunshot wound.

Witnesses on the scene said a woman and child previously exited the apartment before Melton locked himself in the apartment. Hedrick wouldn’t confirm those reports only to say “everyone else involved in this incident is safe to our knowledge.”

During the standoff traffic on U.S. 84 between John Dale Drive and the entrance to Walmart was blocked. Traffic was diverted on backroads around the area.

Hedrick said he does not know if Melton’s fatal gunshot wound was self-inflicted or happened during the initial exchange of gunfire with Mackel.

On social media, Hedrick and the CPSO asked the community to keep Mackel and his family in its prayers.

“He has been transported to UMC and we are receiving positive updates from officers of the Pearl MS. Police Department, who are standing watch at this time,” the post said. “The CPSO along with his family would ask that you say a prayer for the Staff of UMC, Jackson, MS, as they continue to care for our brother during this time.”

Hedrick said Thursday’s incident demonstrates the dangers deputies face every day on the job.

“It is not for the faint of heart,” Hedrick said. “We enter into the job with a soft hand as much as we can, but sometimes it turns on you and then you have to deal with something like this.”

Hedrick said he is thankful for all of the support from law enforcement, including from the Vidalia, Ferriday and Natchez police departments along with the Adams County, Catahoula Parish and Tensas Parish sheriff’s offices responded to the incident. Officers from Alexandria and Pineville, Louisiana, also responded, Hedrick said.

“I got phone calls from a lot of agencies,” Hedrick said. “I was very proud they were willing to step up and help us get this resolved.”

Vidalia Police Chief Joey Merrill said both CPSO deputies and Vidalia police initially responded to the shooting.

“We are all praying the deputy to have a speedy recovery,” Merrill said. “We hate that this happened and thank all the agencies who responded, the state police, U.S. Marshals, Tensas Parish, Concordia Parish, Adams County, Vidalia, and Ferriday police. This incident is still in the early stages of an investigation. We are also praying for the family of the victim, but especially the officer himself.”

Adams County Sherriff Travis Patten said the response to the shooting Thursday demonstrates why the collaboration between agencies is so important.

“When I received the call from Chief Deputy Hedrick, we got everybody together to assist. We appreciate the relationship we have with Concordia Parish and will continue to make the bonds between our agancies stronger,” Patten. “Our prayers are with Mackel and his family.”

Scott Hawkins and Sabrina Robertson contributed to this story.

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