In the late summer of 2018, the life of 15-year-old Chance O'Neal Smith was cut short in a residence in the Algiers neighborhood of New Orleans. On the evening of Saturday, August 18th, the Eleanor McMain Secondary School freshman, who was known for his love of music, video games, and designing clothes, was fatally shot. His mother remembered him as a cheerful teenager who was excited about the new chapter of high school.
Following the shooting, the New Orleans Police Department began an
investigation that quickly led to a suspect. Another teenager, 17-year-old Walter 'Snuff' Johnson, was arrested in connection with the fatal shooting. Johnson was subsequently booked on a count of negligent homicide. He maintained that the shooting of his friend was an accident.
The incident sent ripples of grief through the community, prompting a peace rally in the days that followed. Friends, family, and community members gathered to mourn the loss of the young man and to call for an end to gun violence. Information regarding the specifics of the investigation, the subsequent legal proceedings, and the final outcome of the case against Walter Johnson is not readily available in public records.
