On the evening of January 31, 2017, a high school basketball game in New Orleans became the backdrop for a fatal burst of violence that claimed the life of a male, Wynston Jackson, also known as 'Ghost,' and another man, Lawrence Williams, IV. The two had just left the Edna Karr High School game and were sitting in a car parked in front of the school when they were ambushed. A group of men approached their vehicle armed with two rifles and a handgun and fired a barrage of bullets into the car.
Jackson, in a futile attempt to defend himself, tried to return fire with his own handgun but was struck and died at the scene. Williams was also hit and later succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital.
The shooting was the culmination of a bitter and ongoing rivalry between two street gangs. Jackson was identified as a member of the Ghost Gang. The attack was orchestrated by members of the rival Byrd Gang. During the basketball game, a female associate of the Byrd Gang, Briyan Love, spotted Jackson in the auditorium. She then contacted Terran Williams, a member of the Byrd Gang, to inform him of Jackson's location. Acting on this information, Williams, along with fellow gang members Tyrone Bovia, Javonta Doleman, and others, drove to the high school with the specific intention of killing their rival. The feud between the two gangs was reportedly fueled by social media posts and rap music videos, creating a cycle of violent retaliation.
The investigation into the double homicide led to the arrests of Terran Williams, Tyrone Bovia, and Javonta Doleman. In April 2025, after a two-week jury trial, all three men were found guilty of a range of serious charges, including Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations conspiracy, drug trafficking conspiracy, firearms conspiracy, and Violent Crime in Aid of Racketeering murder. For their roles in the murders of Wynston Jackson and Lawrence Williams, the three convicted men face mandatory life sentences. Another Byrd Gang leader, Tim Jackson, also known as 'T-Maf,' pleaded guilty mid-trial to several charges related to the gang's activities, which included the double murder. He agreed to a 30-year prison sentence.
