In the early morning hours of July 3, 2022, the life of 21-year-old Joshua Taylor, an African American male from Ponchatoula, Louisiana, was tragically cut short. The incident unfolded just outside the city limits of Ponchatoula in a plan that authorities would later describe as a 'robbery gone wrong'. Around 3 a.m., the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office received a distress call from Taylor himself, reporting that he had been shot multiple times.
Deputies arriving at the scene found Taylor with several gunshot wounds. He was rushed to North Oaks Medical Center for treatment but ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Investigators quickly pieced together the events leading to the fatal shooting. It was determined that Taylor, along with 18-year-old Breona Johnson and a 15-year-old girl, had orchestrated a plan to drug and rob 24-year-old Devante Collins of Slidell. During the attempted robbery, Taylor reportedly armed himself with a baseball bat. In response, Collins produced a handgun. Taylor then dropped the bat and fled the scene on foot. Collins pursued him and fired several shots, striking and killing him.
Following the investigation, three individuals were taken into custody. Devante Collins was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and aggravated assault with a firearm. Breona Johnson faced charges of second-degree murder, contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile, and aggravated battery by poisoning. The 15-year-old, who was later identified as a runaway from the New Orleans area, was also charged with second-degree murder and aggravated battery. Authorities noted that while an individual has the right to self-defense when facing the threat of great bodily harm or death, they cannot pursue and shoot a suspect who is fleeing and no longer poses a threat.
