RESERVE — Maurice Emanuel Hodges, 36, of Reserve was arrested Wednesday and booked with attempted second degree murder in connection to the Monday morning shooting of 57-year-old Aurelius Burfict in Reserve.

Burfict is now in stable condition at an area hospital.

At about 1 a.m. Monday, deputies with the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence in the 100 block of East 21st Street in Reserve for the report of a man that was shot.

Upon arrival, deputies located Burfict with gunshot wounds to his body. Burfict, who is autistic, told officers he was walking along the street when a vehicle drove up from behind him, and a male subject shot him. The vehicle then fled the area to Highway 44, according to investigators.

The victim was able to make his way to a nearby residence to seek help. Emergency medical services arrived on scene and transported Burfict to a New Orleans hospital where he is in stable condition.

Over the course of the investigation, detectives developed Hodges as a suspect and obtained a judicial warrant for his arrest.

The U.S. Marshal Task Force and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested Hodges about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at an apartment complex in Lake Charles. Hodges will be transported to the Sherman Walker Correctional Facility in LaPlace.

Police said motive behind the shooting is unknown at this time.

Hodges has been arrested 20 times in St. John Parish since 2001.

Sheriff Mike Tregre said he appreciates the community’s help in this investigation.

“The community came forward with tips that helped lead to the arrest of Maurice Hodges,” Tregre said.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office TIPS line at 985-359-TIPS or the Criminal Investigations

Division at 985-359-8774. Citizens can also submit tips on the Sheriff’s Office website at http://stjohnsheriff.org/submitatip.php