Suspect in New Orleans shootout has lengthy criminal background

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Reginald Bursey, the alleged armed robbery suspect killed during a shootout with two New Orleans police officers and a state trooper Sunday (Feb. 19), had a criminal history in Louisiana and Texas.

Hundreds of miles away in Columbus, Texas information shared with FOX 8 shows the Colorado County Sheriff’s Office had a number of run-ins with Bursey between 2005 and 2009.

The 34-year-old previously lived in La Grange, Texas, according to police chief David Gilbreath, who said Bursey had been involved with several incidents with his department.

“I know we had a pursuit with him where he ran from us and crashed into a creek, and then he escaped, then we arrested him the next morning at his home hidden in a closet,” Gilbreath said.

Related: Suspected gunman involved in shootout with NOPD was known Houston gang member

Between 2010 and 2015, Bursey was arrested five times in La Grange, including once for fleeing from police during a traffic stop.

In September, Columbus, Texas Judge Leonard Peters issued two warrants for Bursey on felony aggravated robbery charges for holding two people up at gunpoint in their home.

“He ended up making them take their clothes off and duct taped them and put them in a bathtub," Peters said in an interview with FOX 8. “Which of course made them and everybody else think he was going to kill them, but for some reason he didn’t.”

In this case, Peters said Bursey also stole one of the victim’s vehicle, which was later found in Houston.

Peters said the probable cause affidavit police issued him for the 2018 incident states Bursey fired shots towards the two victims, but missed.

“This was cold blooded, pulling a gun on people in their own house and doing what he did," Peters said. "We just don’t see a lot of that.”

Texas law enforcement officials also believed Bursey had ties to the Houston’s 59 Piru Street gang.

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