Corry native Jacques 'Jay' Rougeau lived dream of being state trooper, died in line of duty

CORRY — Jacques "Jay" F. Rougeau Jr. was so nervous during his Corry Police Department internship interview that the then-20 year old started sweating and had difficulty putting words together.

Getting a law enforcement job was important to the Corry High School graduate, and it didn't help that he had known the interviewer, Chief Rich Shopene, since Rougeau was a young child.

"Finally I said, 'Jay, just relax,'" said Shopene, who served as Corry's police chief from 2011 to 2020. "'We're here interviewing for an internship. I need to ask you some questions and you need to ask some questions. It will be fine.'"

He passed the interview and served a summer internship with the Corry police before eventually graduating from college, and enlisting in the Pennsylvania State Police.

Rougeau, 29, was assigned with Troop G at the Lewistown Station when he was killed Saturday during a shootout in central Pennsylvania. He is the 104th member of the state police to be killed in the line of duty.

Another state trooper, Lt. James Wagner, was wounded in a separate encounter with the same shooter in Juniata County. The suspect, Brandon Stine, 38, was killed in an exchange of gunfire after the shootings, according to state police.

"This is a tragedy for the Pennsylvania State Police," said Col. Christopher Paris, state police commissioner. “We ask for your continued prayers for not only our Troopers, but also their families."

Stine drove his truck into the parking lot of the Lewistown barracks in Juniata County about 11 a.m. Saturday and opened fire with a large-caliber rifle on marked patrol cars before fleeing, Paris said.

More: Pennsylvania state trooper who is Corry native killed in shootout; 2nd trooper wounded

Stine was identified shortly after the shooting, and a search began for him, Paris said.

Lt. Col. George Bivens, deputy commissioner of operations, who went up in a helicopter to coordinate the search, said Stine appeared to be playing a "cat and mouse" game — calling 911 to give a location and then not being there when they arrived.

Wagner encountered Stine in Mifflintown about 12:45 p.m. Saturday and was shot and critically wounded, Paris said.

Later, Rougeau was ambushed and killed by a gunshot through the windshield of his patrol car as he drove down a road in nearby Walker Township, according to Lt. Col. George Bivens, deputy commissioner of operations.

Police only found out that Rougeau had been shot after the manhunt ended, and "he was beyond assistance at that point," Bivens said.

Stine then escaped into a somewhat rural but still residential area, and was seen driving through a field toward a store and small restaurant with patrons in the parking lot, Bivens said. Troopers put themselves in between the people and the suspect and forced him away from the business.

After an exchange of gunfire, he drove through a yard and garden, finally getting stuck against a row of trees as police continued to engage him, Bivens said.

"What I witnessed ... was one of the most intense, unbelievable gunfights I have ever witnessed," Bivens said, lauding troopers for launching an aggressive search despite the fact that they were facing a weapon that "would defeat any of the body armor that they had available to them."

Rougeau, who was married, would have marked his third anniversary with the department later this month, officials said.

Rougeau long dreamed of a job in law enforcement

A three-year player for Corry's boys basketball team, Rougeau was a team leader and served as captain during his senior season. He was quick to offer teammates a word of encouragement and was always ready for early morning and evening workouts, said his coach Chad Sutton.

"He would be at every open gym and team camp, except for one week during the summer," Sutton said. "That was the week he went to Meadville for the state police (Camp Cadet) academy. Even at a young age, Jay knew he wanted to be a state trooper."

That was evident when he was quoted in a 2012 Erie Times-News article that asked graduating seniors what they hoped to accomplish.

"I plan on graduating from college, attending the Pennsylvania state troopers academy to become a trooper, and after a few years or so there apply to the CIA, FBI and Secret Service and hopefully get a job there," he said.

Rougeau wanted a career in law enforcement for the right reasons, Shopene said.

"I asked him during the interview why he wanted to get into law enforcement," Shopene said. "His answer was that he wanted to help people. That's what I saw in him during high school, when my son played on the team with him."

Sutton, who met Rougeau during pickup basketball games at the Corry YMCA, said he was struck by the young man's maturity.

He was quick to teach younger children the fundamentals of basketball and often worked as a referee for youth basketball games.

"He was the kind of young man you hoped your son would turn out to be like," Sutton said.

A police escort accompanied Rougeau's body Monday afternoon from Corry Lawrence Airport to the Bracken Funeral Home in Corry. Times for his funeral and calling hours have not yet been announced.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Contact David Bruce at dbruce@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNBruce.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Corry native Jacques 'Jay' Rougeau dreamed of becoming state trooper