In a tragic turn of events on the evening of September 24, 2017, 10-year-old Jaylyn Citizen, a Black male, was fatally shot in his Lake Charles, Louisiana, home on North Shattuck Street. The incident, which occurred around 8:02 p.m., also left his 17-year-old brother critically injured. Young Jaylyn was rushed to a local hospital but succumbed to his injuries by 8:31 p.m.
His older brother was transported to a hospital in Lafayette for surgery and was listed in stable condition.
The investigation into the senseless act of violence led authorities to 50-year-old Felton Thompson. He was apprehended on September 27, 2017, at a hotel in New Orleans. Thompson, who was not a resident of Lake Charles, was described by police as a 'career criminal'. At the time of the incident, he was on parole after serving 24 years of a 99-year sentence for armed robbery and other offenses. It was not immediately clear what brought Thompson to Lake Charles or if he had any connection to the victims.
Following his arrest, Thompson was extradited to Lake Charles and faced a string of serious charges, including first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, armed robbery, and attempted armed robbery with a firearm. In April 2018, Felton Felmon Thompson pleaded not guilty to the first-degree murder charge in state district court. During the arraignment, prosecutors announced their intention to seek the death penalty. Family members of Jaylyn were present in the courtroom, visibly emotional as the plea was entered. Thompson remained jailed at the Calcasieu Correctional Center on a $330,000 bond.
