Off-duty Vermilion Parish Sheriff deputy shot and killed; law enforcement agents looking for two men who possibly shot him and stole his truck

An off-duty Vermilion Parish Sheriff's deputy was shot and killed Monday around 4 p.m. on South Hospital Drive, located south of Abbeville, and his truck was stolen by the alleged shooters.
The off-duty deputy was brought to Abbeville General Hospital. The name of the off-duty deputy was not released until family members were contacted.
The off-duty deputy was mowing the grass on his off day on South Hospital Drive. He called the Sheriff's Office to report two suspicious people in the area.
Sheriff Mike Couvillon says when a deputy arrived at the home on South Hospital Drive, the off-duty deputy was found shot. A witness in the area saw a gold Lexus that crashed into the ditch near the scene, and saw 2 black males take off from the area in the off-duty deputy's truck. Investigators say the deputy's truck was found abandoned off of Miles Street in Abbeville.
State Police has been called in to investigate. A multi-parish effort has been launched to find the suspects involved in the shooting. Residents of Abbeville are asked to be on the lookout and report any suspicious activity in their neighborhoods. Residents are also asked to stay inside their homes, as the suspects should be considered armed and dangerous.
Sheriff Couvillon says, "it's a very sad day today, as we lost a veteran brother in law enforcement, a husband, a father, and a child. We are utilizing every available resource and will not rest until these dangerous criminals are brought to justice."
One of the black males is wearing a white tee-shirt.
Law enforcement officials recevied a report that the Chevy truck may have been spotted around 6 p.m. on Martin Luther King Drive near Lyman Street in Abbeville. Officials have a 10-block area on MLK sealed off. State police had a helicopter flying over the area and a SWAT team with the Vermilion Parish Sheriff's Office is searching wooded areas near MLK.
Law enforcement agents were pre-warned that the two men are armed and dangerous.
The truck is what the off-duty deputy was driving before he was shot. A local sugarcane farmer tried to follow the truck driven by the alleged shooter but was unable to keep up with the truck.