On a Wednesday evening in Jennings, Louisiana, the life of Dwight Breaux, a 42-year-old African American man, came to a violent end. On October 16, 2019, Breaux and another man drove to a residence on West Street, the home of Steven John Edwards. The purpose of their visit was reportedly a drug transaction, a detail later confirmed by the surviving victim.
Around 9 p.m., what was intended to be a deal turned deadly. Gunshots rang out, striking both Breaux and his companion.
In the backseat of their vehicle, a three-year-old child narrowly escaped injury as a bullet pierced the rear window. The two men, both wounded, were rushed to Jennings American Legion Hospital. Breaux, in critical condition, ultimately succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. The second victim was later transferred to a trauma center and was reported to be in stable condition.
The investigation into the shooting quickly pointed to the resident of the home, 41-year-old Steven John Edwards. Based on witness testimony and information from the surviving victim, police identified Edwards as the shooter. He was subsequently arrested and faced a slew of serious charges: first-degree murder for the death of Dwight Breaux, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. At the scene of the crime, investigators recovered a handgun and several bullet casings.
Authorities revealed that this was not the first violent encounter for either Breaux or Edwards. Just three weeks prior to his death, Breaux had been shot in the leg in a separate incident, though he had been uncooperative with the police investigation at the time. Edwards also had a history of being involved in gun violence; he had been a victim of a shooting at the very same West Street residence the previous year, an incident that resulted in the loss of his leg. Investigators believed that earlier shooting was also connected to drug-related activities. The death of Dwight Breaux added another layer to the complex issues of drug-related violence within the Jennings community.
