In the late hours of a summer night in Jennings, Louisiana, a back-to-school party at the American Legion hall took a tragic turn, forever altering the lives of two families. On August 8, 2015, 17-year-old Jawon Lennette was shot and killed. The young man, who was a student at Jennings High School, was remembered as a humble and outgoing person who loved life.
The shooting occurred after a series of altercations between Jawon and another teenager, Kyvonte Eaglin, who was 19 at the time.
During the party, the disputes escalated, culminating in the fatal shooting. A forensic pathologist later determined that Jawon died from a single gunshot wound to his upper torso. The bullet entered the front of his chest, causing devastating injuries to both of his lungs before exiting his back.
In the wake of the shooting, Kyvonte Eaglin of Welsh was arrested and charged with second-degree murder. The case proceeded to trial, where a jury deliberated for ninety minutes before reaching a verdict in November 2016. They found Eaglin guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter. He was subsequently sentenced for his role in Jawon Lennette's death.
