On a Sunday evening in Hammond, Louisiana, the life of 24-year-old Tori Nicoll Banks was tragically cut short. On January 29, 2023, Banks, a resident of nearby Tickfaw, was fatally shot while sitting in her vehicle. The incident unfolded at a gas station on Southwest Railroad Avenue, forever altering the lives of her family and friends.
That evening, Banks was in her car with two male individuals.
An argument is believed to have broken out, culminating in one of the men, identified as 19-year-old Johnathan Williams of Hammond, drawing a firearm. Williams discharged the weapon, striking Banks. The second male occupant in the vehicle was unharmed. Following the shooting, Williams fled the scene on foot, leaving behind a scene of chaos and violence.
The uninjured male in the car immediately took action, attempting to drive Banks to the hospital. On the way, he encountered a Hammond Police Department officer on Southwest Railroad Avenue near Old Covington Highway and flagged him down for help. Emergency medical services were dispatched, and Banks was transported to North Oaks Medical Center. Despite the efforts of medical professionals, she succumbed to her injuries at the hospital.
The Hammond Police Department launched an immediate investigation into the homicide. Detectives were able to identify Johnathan Williams as the suspected shooter. Within hours of the incident, at approximately 11:30 p.m., Williams was located at his residence, not far from the scene of the crime. He was taken into custody without incident. Williams was subsequently booked into the Hammond City Jail on charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and illegal discharge of a firearm.
