In the early hours of Sunday, October 23, 2016, a fatal encounter unfolded outside a Baton Rouge nightclub, claiming the life of 30-year-old Black / African American male Christopher Edwards. The shooting, which occurred around 1:45 a.m. in the 2000 block of North Foster Drive, was the culmination of an argument that began inside The Executive Club. Edwards suffered gunshot wounds to his torso and died at the scene.
A 35-year-old woman was also struck by gunfire during the incident but was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Investigators quickly pieced together the events leading to the shooting, aided by surveillance footage from the nightclub and a neighboring business. The video evidence revealed that Edwards had been involved in an argument with two brothers, Horace and Mack Smith. The dispute reportedly began when Edwards declined a handshake from Horace Smith inside the club. Security personnel intervened and removed the Smith brothers from the establishment. However, the conflict tragically escalated as Edwards was leaving the club. Horace Smith approached him, and he was then shot. The footage captured the two brothers fleeing the scene in their vehicle after the shooting.
The investigation led to the swift identification of the suspects. On October 26, 2016, just days after the shooting, Mack Arthur Smith was arrested after a witness positively identified him in a photo lineup. He was charged with principal to second-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm. His brother, Horace Smith, remained at large for a period and was considered armed and dangerous. He was wanted on charges of second-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm. Horace Smith was eventually apprehended on February 2, 2017.
In January 2025, a jury convicted Horace Smith, then 45, of the second-degree murder of Christopher Edwards. Prosecutors presented evidence, including the surveillance footage that showed the initial argument and the subsequent shooting. Following his conviction, Horace Smith was sentenced to life in prison, the mandatory sentence for second-degree murder in Louisiana. His brother, Mack Smith, who was 46 at the time of the conviction, was scheduled to face trial on a charge of principal to second-degree murder in May of that year.
