In a tragic turn of events, 32-year-old Brandon Richardson of Shreveport, Louisiana, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the city's riverfront casino district. His death occurred just hours before he was scheduled to appear in Caddo District Court to stand trial for the attempted second-degree murder of his former girlfriend and the mother of his child.
The charges against Richardson stemmed from a harrowing incident on January 17, 2021.
During a custody exchange, Richardson allegedly shot his ex-partner in the chest with a handgun. The conflict reportedly arose when Richardson did not want to return their child to the mother. The shooting unfolded in the presence of several witnesses, including young children. In addition to the attempted murder charge, Richardson also faced accusations of false imprisonment and aggravated assault for allegedly holding the victim and another man at gunpoint before police arrived at the scene.
Jury selection for Richardson's trial was set to begin on the day of his death before Caddo District Judge Donald Hathaway Jr. His suicide brought an abrupt and somber end to the legal proceedings that were about to commence.
