By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- A federal criminal complaint charges Clarence A. Frazier Jr., 48, of Alexandria, Louisiana, with the murder of Deputy U.S. Marshal Drew Hanson.
- Hanson was shot Monday while assisting the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office in serving an arrest warrant on Frazier at a residence in Alexandria.
- Frazier had failed to appear in court on a charge of sexual battery of a person with infirmities before the warrant was issued.
- Hanson died from his injuries; Frazier was also injured during the encounter and taken into custody after a standoff.
- The FBI, with assistance from RPSO, is leading the investigation, while Louisiana State Police is examining potential state law violations; Frazier faces up to life in prison or the death penalty if convicted.
ALEXANDRIA, LA. — A federal criminal complaint charges an Alexandria man with murder in connection with the fatal shooting of a U.S. deputy marshal during the service of an arrest warrant earlier this week, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Clarence A. Frazier Jr., 48, was charged in the death of Deputy U.S. Marshal Drew Hanson. If convicted, Frazier faces a sentence of up to life in prison or the death penalty, the Justice Department said.
According to a Justice Department news release, Hanson was shot Monday while serving an arrest warrant on Frazier alongside the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office. The warrant had been issued after Frazier failed to appear in court on a charge of sexual battery of a person with infirmities.
Law enforcement located Frazier at a residence near the intersection of Rutland and Moor and obtained a search warrant before entering. Officials said the officers displayed clear law enforcement markings, announced their presence and forced entry after Frazier failed to respond. Frazier allegedly barricaded himself in a bedroom and opened fire on officers, striking Hanson, before a standoff that ended with his arrest. Hanson later died from his injuries; Frazier was also injured and transported to a hospital.
The FBI is investigating with assistance from the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisiana State Police is separately reviewing potential violations of state law, according to the Justice Department.
U.S. Marshals Service Director Gadyaces Serralta and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche both issued statements mourning Hanson’s death and pledging accountability for those responsible. FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau would commit full investigative resources to the case alongside its state and federal partners.