CONVENT — A Baton Rouge man faces the possibility of spending the rest of his life in jail after a jury found him guilty of attempting to kill a River Parishes police officer, authorities said.

According to 23rd Judicial District Attorney Ricky L. Babin’s office, a St. James Parish jury found 48-year-old Ron Youngblood guilty Friday of attempted first degree murder following a May 2015 shootout involving St. James Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies.

Youngblood was also found guilty of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Public Information Officer Tyler Cavalier of the D.A.’s office said Judge Tess Stromberg tentatively set sentencing for Nov. 27 following a pre-sentence investigation. Youngblood’s two convictions carry a maximum 65 combined years in jail sentencing option.

St. James Sheriff Willy Martin Jr. backed his officers’ actions to L’OBSERVATEUR following the shootout, which occurred May 24, 2015.

At the time, Martin said State Police agreed it was a “clean shooting” and “officers had no other course of action” than to return fire, which included wounding Youngblood.

Six total people — two deputies and four suspects — were involved in the shootout, authorities announced in June 2015, adding the altercation began at approximately 1 a.m. when the Sheriff’s Office received a call regarding a gunman walking along Legion Street in Convent.

Martin said two deputies came into contact with four male subjects when they arrived to Legion Street.

“The deputies exited their patrol units and, upon approaching them, one of the subjects opened fire with a handgun,” Martin said, adding one of the deputies took cover behind a patrol unit while the other took cover behind a tree.

Both deputies returned fire at the shooter, who was firing at them.

The shooter was struck once by the deputies’ gunfire, Martin said, adding his deputies collectively fired more than a dozen shots.

Authorities said Youngblood, who used a 9mm handgun during the shooting, was captured shortly after and booked into St. James Parish Jail after being treated for his injuries.

Assistant district attorneys Chuck Long, Bruce Mohon and Adam Koenig prosecuted the case.