St. Charles Incident: 84-Year-Old Man Arrested After Shotgun Confrontation

An 84-year-old man was taken into custody after a tense standoff with police in a residential subdivision on Halloween night.

St. Charles Parish officials reported that deputies responded to the Charlestowne area in St. Rose at approximately 9:30 p.m. on October 31. They were sent to investigate reports of a person walking around and aiming a shotgun at neighbors. Officers located the suspect near the intersection of W. Club Drive and River Birch Lane.

The man, identified as Herman Alexander of Charlestowne, did not immediately follow orders to drop his weapon. Deputies stated that he pointed the shotgun at them during the encounter. Officers discharged their firearms at Alexander, causing him to fall to the ground. They quickly moved to assist him and confirmed he had not been hit by a bullet. He was arrested without additional complications.

Records show Alexander has no prior criminal history. In May 2026, deputies visited his home during a mental health episode and transported him to a hospital for evaluation. Police have not yet announced specific charges against him.

The incident occurred in a quiet neighborhood, with officers managing to secure the scene and the suspect within hours of the initial call. The lack of criminal record and the recent medical evaluation provide context for the interaction between the resident and law enforcement that evening.