On a Friday evening in Mansfield, Louisiana, the life of 31-year-old Kirby Johnson, a Black male, was tragically cut short. On September 23, 2016, at approximately 6:30 p.m., Mansfield Police were dispatched to the 900 block of Johnson Street in the De Soto Estates neighborhood following reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers discovered Johnson on the sidewalk, suffering from a single gunshot wound to his head.
Emergency medical services transported Johnson to De Soto Regional
Hospital. He was then airlifted to University Health Center for further treatment. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, Kirby Johnson was pronounced dead early the following Saturday morning. The investigation into the homicide was conducted by the Mansfield Police Department with assistance from the De Soto Parish Sheriff's Office.
The investigation led to the arrest of Darrius Smart, who was 19 years old at the time of the incident. The motive for the shooting appeared to stem from a confrontation the previous night where Johnson had allegedly shot a BB gun at a group of young men. On the evening of the fatal shooting, Johnson was approached by this group on the playground near the housing project on Johnson and Jacobs Streets. Realizing he was being pursued, Johnson fled towards his apartment. It was during this pursuit that Darrius Smart raised a gun and fired at the fleeing Johnson.
Darrius Smart was subsequently indicted by a grand jury for the second-degree murder of Kirby Johnson. Smart waived his right to a jury trial and instead opted for a bench trial. Following the trial, he was convicted of the lesser charge of manslaughter. The court sentenced Darrius Smart to 40 years at hard labor for his role in the death of Kirby Johnson.
