On a warm evening in Las Vegas, on September 1, 2016, the life of 19-year-old Javante Marquest Stockard, a Black / African American male, was cut tragically short. He was with friends inside a car parked at Palacio Park, located on West Lake Mead Boulevard, when a dispute took a fatal turn. An argument had broken out over whether a gun, held by the driver who was standing outside the vehicle, was loaded. Though the gun did not have a magazine in it, a single round remained in the chamber.
When the driver pulled the trigger, that lone bullet struck Javante in the chest as he sat in the backseat.
His friend, D'Andre Dickerson, who was in the front seat, watched in horror as the events unfolded. He desperately tried to help his wounded friend, first in the car and then by laying him on the pavement of the parking lot. He recalled feeling the exit wound as he tried to render aid. Emergency services were called, and Javante was rushed to University Medical Center, but the injury was too severe. He was pronounced dead about half an hour after arriving. The Clark County coroner's office later confirmed he died from a gunshot wound to the chest and ruled his death a homicide.
In the immediate aftermath, the suspected shooter, who had initially fled the scene on foot, was identified and interviewed by Metropolitan Police Department detectives. The police described the shooting as accidental. At the time, no arrests were made, and it was announced that the Clark County District Attorney's office would collaborate with homicide detectives to determine what, if any, charges would be filed in the case.
Those who knew Javante remembered him as a joyful and positive person. Friends described him as goofy, a joker who loved to make people laugh. He enjoyed singing, even if he wasn't the best at it, and playing video games. His death left a void in the lives of his friends and family, who were stunned by the sudden and senseless loss. They remembered a young man with a vibrant spirit whose memory, they said, would live on through the joy he brought to others.
