In the late afternoon of February 8, 2021, the life of 30-year-old DeWayne Hutton, an African American male, was tragically cut short in a burst of gunfire in Hammond, Louisiana. The shooting occurred around 2:42 p.m. in the 100 block of East Stanley Street. When Hammond Police Department officers arrived at the scene following reports of gunfire, they discovered two individuals with gunshot wounds.
Both victims were immediately transported by ambulance to North Oaks Medical Center for treatment. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, DeWayne Hutton succumbed to his injuries at the hospital. The second victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries and survived the incident.
The investigation into the shooting quickly determined that it was not a random act of violence. Detectives from the Hammond Police Department identified 19-year-old Taurus Robinson of Independence, Louisiana, as the primary suspect in the fatal shooting. The investigation revealed that Robinson was also wanted on a felony warrant for Accessory to Attempted Murder in connection with a separate incident that had occurred on November 26, 2020. Believing Robinson to be armed and dangerous, authorities issued a warrant for his arrest and sought assistance from the public in locating him.
A few days after the shooting, on a Thursday, Taurus Robinson voluntarily surrendered to Hammond detectives. Following his arrest, he faced a litany of charges related to the death of DeWayne Hutton. These charges included First Degree Murder, Aggravated Obstruction of a Roadway, Aggravated Criminal Damage, Assault by Drive-By Shooting, Obstruction of Justice, Illegal Discharge of a Weapon, and four counts of Attempted First Degree Murder. The community mourned the loss of DeWayne Hutton, with his funeral services being held on February 20, 2021, at the New Day Missionary Baptist Church in Hammond, where friends and family gathered to remember a life taken too soon.
