The Shreveport Police Department is ramping up its proactive enforcement efforts, executing a series of arrests aimed at removing firearms from individuals legally barred from carrying them. Local authorities emphasize that targeting prohibited possessors remains a cornerstone of their strategy to curb violent crime and enhance community safety.
Back-to-Back Arrests Net Two Convicted Felons in One Night
During a Shreveport Police crackdown on May 6 officers took two armed men with extensive criminal histories into custody within a one-hour window.
8:00 p.m. Arrest: Joseph Douglas was arrested under similar circumstances. Investigators determined Douglas was legally prohibited from carrying a weapon due to past convictions, which include second-degree rape and illegal possession of stolen firearms.
9:00 p.m. Arrest: Officers apprehended Ryan Merritt after discovering him in possession of a firearm. A background check revealed Merritt has prior convictions for narcotics distribution and firearm-related offenses.
Both Merritt and Douglas have been officially charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
Armed Burglary Suspect Apprehended with Altered Weapon
The proactive policing continued into the following week. On May 17, at approximately 5:00 p.m., Shreveport officers tracked down and arrested Brandon Styles on charges of Burglary of an Inhabited Dwelling.
According to police reports, Styles resisted officers during the arrest and was found to be armed. A closer inspection of the weapon revealed its serial number had been completely obliterated…