In the early morning hours of April 13, 2019, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a male security guard named Deswin Harden, 37, lost his life while on duty. The incident occurred around 1:10 a.m. at Peyton's Lounge, located at 1533 North Acadian Thruway West. Harden and another security guard were attempting to de-escalate a physical altercation that had broken out outside the establishment.
During their intervention, gunfire erupted, and both security guards were struck.
Harden sustained fatal injuries from the gunshots and died at the scene. The second guard, a 48-year-old man, was also wounded but his injuries were not considered life-threatening.
Following an investigation into the deadly shooting, law enforcement officials made three arrests. On April 14, 2019, Joseph Louis Butler, a 45-year-old resident of North Ardenwood, was taken into custody. He was subsequently booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on charges of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.
The investigation continued, leading to the apprehension of two more suspects the following day. Gerald Washington, 23, and Gerald Butler, 44, were also arrested in connection with the shooting. Both men were charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and illegal use of weapons.
