In the small community of Killona, Louisiana, a burst of gunfire shattered the evening calm on November 9, 2021, leaving a trail of bloodshed and a family grieving. Darzil Washington, a 29-year-old African American male, was killed in what law enforcement described as a targeted, ambush-style attack outside a convenience store. The sudden eruption of violence, which occurred just before 6:30 p.m., also left four others wounded, including Darzil's 32-year-old relative, Darville Washington.
The assailants, whose numbers were not immediately clear, reportedly approached from behind the store and opened fire on the group gathered outside. Darzil Washington was struck multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene. The other victims, including a 14-year-old boy, were also hit by the barrage of bullets. The aftermath was a chaotic scene of emergency responders tending to the wounded, with two of the victims, including Darville Washington, being airlifted to a university medical center in critical condition.
The investigation into the deadly shooting led authorities to identify Johtre Isaiah Scott, a 19-year-old from a neighboring parish, as a primary suspect. The St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office expressed that the shooting was not a random act of violence but rather a calculated move in an ongoing and violent feud between groups from different parishes. This cycle of retaliation had reportedly been simmering for some time, with this incident being the most violent manifestation. The difficulty in obtaining information from potential witnesses frustrated the early stages of the investigation, a common hurdle in cases involving such deep-rooted conflicts.
In March of the following year, a grand jury indicted Johtre Scott on one count of second-degree murder for the death of Darzil Washington and four counts of attempted second-degree murder for the injuries sustained by the other victims. The indictment marked a significant step forward in the pursuit of justice for Darzil Washington and his family. The motive for the killing is believed to be in retaliation for a prior homicide, a tragic continuation of the cycle of violence that Sheriff Greg Champagne had warned about, a cycle that had devastatingly claimed the life of a young man in front of a local convenience store.
