On a Tuesday night in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the life of 16-year-old Carltez Alonte Tucker, an African American male, was cut short by gun violence. On May 3, 2022, at approximately 9:00 PM, police responded to a call and found Tucker deceased in the parking lot of the Tiger Vape Shop on Bob Pettit Boulevard, an area situated behind the popular Tigerland bar, Reggie's.
The young man, a resident of nearby Prairieville, had sustained fatal gunshot wounds.
The investigation into the shooting revealed another victim, a 24-year-old woman, who had been transported to a local hospital by a private vehicle the following morning with non-life-threatening gunshot injuries. Authorities believe the violent encounter stemmed from a dispute over a stolen firearm that Tucker had allegedly taken. The Baton Rouge Police Department diligently worked the case, and their efforts were aided by an anonymous tip from Crime Stoppers, which proved crucial in identifying the individuals allegedly responsible for Tucker's death.
Within days of the shooting, on May 12, 2022, investigators arrested three suspects in connection with the homicide. Denzel Louis, 23, Johnathan Smith, 25, and 19-year-old Rickey McClain were all taken into custody. Each of the three men was charged with first-degree murder for their alleged roles in the shooting that ended Carltez Tucker's life. Following their arrests, they were booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison as the investigation into the incident continued.
