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Deputy Sheriff

Brandon Joseph Nielsen

St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office — LaPlace, LA

Felonious

End of Watch August 16, 2012

Age 34

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

The Vigil Panel 161 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 7

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Brandon Nielsen and Deputy Sheriff Jeremy Triche were shot and killed in LaPlace, Louisiana, by members of a domestic terrorist group known as the Sovereign Citizens. They were shot while investigating an earlier ambush shooting that wounded a sheriff's office investigator.

The investigator was working an off-duty security detail at a remote employee parking lot used by a construction company at about 5:00 am when he was ambushed as he sat in his department vehicle.

Responding units located a car they believed had been involved in the early shooting in a nearby trailer park. As Deputy Nielsen, Deputy Triche, and a third deputy questioned two men outside of a mobile home, a third man suddenly exited the home and opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle, striking all three deputies. Deputy Nielsen and Deputy Triche both died as a result of their wounds.

Seven subjects were arrested and held in connection with both separate shooting incidents. The shooter was sentenced to death on Feb. 9, 2020.

Deputy Nielsen had served with the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office for one year and had served in law enforcement for 10 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, five children, parents, and sister.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-LA-40D5E9A3
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Nielsen gave the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the LaPlace community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Nielsen.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office

Location LaPlace, LA

Platform Identity stjoso.stjohnbaptist.la.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 16, 2012

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

Age 34

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Rifle

Offender Sentenced to death

Deputy Sheriff Brandon Joseph Nielsen is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In LA, 364 of 595 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.2% of this state's fallen. That is 7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office, 7 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 87.5% of this agency's fallen.

St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office

of 8 officers

87.5% Felonious

LA — Statewide

364

of 595 officers

61.2% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious