Do you know who killed Charles Gilbert? In the early hours of a Sunday morning in New Orleans, on April 27, 2014, the life of 17-year-old Charles Lawrence Gilbert was tragically cut short. A senior at Crescent Leadership Academy, the young man was attending a birthday party at the 'It's All Good' second-line clubhouse, a venue in the Mid-City neighborhood that had been rented out for the teenage celebration. The gathering, filled with the energy of youth, took a devastating turn around 1:30 a.m.
when a dispute escalated into violence.
According to police reports and witness accounts, a fight broke out inside the club. In the ensuing chaos, a single gunshot rang out, striking Charles Gilbert. He was not involved in the initial altercation and was described by authorities as an innocent bystander who was attempting to flee the scene when he was shot. Emergency services rushed to the location at 2831 Conti Street, but tragically, Gilbert was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of death was a fatal gunshot wound.
The investigation into the senseless killing quickly focused on identifying the person responsible. New Orleans police detectives worked diligently, and their efforts led them to a suspect, 18-year-old Izaak Mills. Witnesses identified Mills as the individual who brandished a firearm and fired the shot that claimed Gilbert's life. Based on the evidence gathered, an arrest warrant was issued for Mills.
Less than two weeks after the shooting, on May 8, 2014, Izaak Mills was apprehended by the New Orleans Police Department's Violent Offender Warrant Squad and the U.S. Marshals. He was taken into custody without incident and subsequently booked into the Orleans Parish Justice Center. Mills faced a charge of second-degree murder in connection with the death of Charles Gilbert. The swift arrest brought a measure of relief to a community shaken by the loss of a young life to gun violence.
