In the early morning hours, a dispute that began at a Waffle House in Gonzales, Louisiana, escalated into a fatal drive-by shooting on Interstate 10 near Prairieville. The incident, which occurred around 2 a.m., resulted in the death of 20-year-old Dantrell Gibbs of Donaldsonville. Gibbs was one of three individuals in a vehicle who were shot. The group had reportedly been at a graduation celebration at the Gonzales Civic Center earlier that evening before the altercation at the Waffle
House.
Following the disagreement, as one vehicle with Gibbs and others inside was heading westbound on I-10, another vehicle pursued them. Occupants of the pursuing vehicle, a white GMC Sierra, opened fire on the victims' car. The victims' vehicle returned fire before exiting the interstate to call for help. When first responders arrived, they found three people with gunshot wounds. Dantrell Gibbs succumbed to his injuries, and another victim, 18-year-old Jermaine “Trey” James, also died later from his injuries. A third person in the vehicle sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office investigation led to the arrest of three suspects. Jakiryn Johnson, 19, of Gonzales was the first to be taken into custody. Subsequently, Kavis Octave Jr., 17, and Taron Parker, 18, both also from Gonzales, were arrested. All three face charges including first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, illegal use of weapons, assault by drive-by shooting, and aggravated damage to property. Investigators recovered shell casings from the interstate and three firearms that had been discarded at a nearby hotel. Authorities stated the shooting was not a random act.
