NEW ROADS — A man has filed a lawsuit against the New Roads Police Department and an officer who purportedly shot him, alleging the officer used excessive force.

John Sexton, son of Iberville Parish Assessor Randy Sexton, was shot in September by a New Roads Police officer outside the O'Reilly's Auto Parts on Hospital Road. John Sexton says in his lawsuit that he was not armed and that he was running away when he was hit.

"No reasonable officer could have believed that it was lawful to shoot an unarmed fleeing person" especially when no one was in danger, the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit accuses the officer of using excessive and unwarranted force and violating Sexton's "rights to be free from an unreasonable seizure" by shooting him.

The officer has not been charged.

The suit says the police officer shot at Sexton with a Taser, fired at him with bean bag bullets and with a firearm. Sexton fractured his hand, arm, and shoulder and suffered lumbar spinal injuries, according to the lawsuit. 

Louisiana State Police reported at the time of the shooting that a New Roads officer investigating a disturbance complaint encountered Sexton and that the officer shot at Sexton, striking him several times. State Police did not identify the shooter.

WBRZ reported previously that the officer has held several short-term jobs with police departments across south Louisiana. Employment history and post-certification documents show the officer started working in law enforcement in 2007, and nearly 20 years later, had worked at 10 different departments.