On a tragic Memorial Day in 2021, the life of 16-year-old Dewayne Craig Dunn Jr. was cut short in a burst of gunfire at a Baton Rouge apartment complex. The male teenager was one of three people killed on May 31, 2021, in a shooting that also claimed the lives of 20-year-old Reginald Thomas and 1-year-old Ja'Tyri Brown.
The violence erupted at the Fairway View Apartments when a gunman opened fire in the gated pool area where people were gathered.
Dunn and Thomas were sitting by the pool when they were approached by the shooter. A brief struggle ensued before shots were fired, fatally wounding both men at the scene. The infant, Ja'Tyri Brown, who was playing nearby, was struck by the gunfire and later died from her injuries at a local hospital.
The investigation into the triple homicide led Baton Rouge Police to identify two brothers, David Williams and Ladarius Coleman, as the primary suspects. Williams, who was 19 at the time, and his juvenile brother were arrested with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Task Force. Investigators believe the motive for the shooting was to steal guns that Dunn and Thomas had in their possession.
Both brothers faced legal consequences for their roles in the deadly shooting. Ladarius Coleman was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. David Williams was also found guilty of three counts of second-degree murder. During his trial, Williams apologized to the family of Ja'Tyri Brown. Despite his apology, he was sentenced to life in prison. The mother of the two brothers, Latoya Coleman, also faced charges for allegedly helping her sons evade arrest after the shooting.
