Former Marine, Soldier Among Baton Rouge Shooting Victims

Matthew Gerald, one of the three Baton Rouge, La., police officers who died at the hands of a gunman during a July 17 ambush, is a former Marine and soldier. The Baton Rouge Police Department web site stated that Gerald, 41, had served on the city’s police force for less than a year. According to numerous media reports, Gerald deployed to Iraq three times while on active duty. He is survived by two daughters. Two other officers – Montrell Jackson of the Baton Rouge Police Department, and Brad Garafola of the East Baton Rouge (Parish) Sheriff’s office, also died. Several other officers were seriously wounded. Police later killed the shooter, an ex-Marine from Kansas City, Mo., named Gavin Long.