In the fading light of a Friday evening in Baton Rouge, on January 20, 2023, the life of 19-year-old Georé Marvin Tank Hankton was tragically cut short. A freshman at Southern University and A&M College with aspirations of a degree in Engineering, Georé was a native of Gretna, Louisiana, and a lifelong resident of New Orleans. He was gunned down in the parking lot of the Cadence at Southern apartment complex on Scenic Highway, a place near the campus he had chosen for his studies.
Another 18-year-old male was also struck by gunfire and was taken to a hospital in stable condition. Georé, however, succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
Known affectionately as "Tank" to his loved ones, Georé was not only a promising student but also a vibrant participant in New Orleans' rich cultural traditions. Since the age of four, he had been a "Spy Boy" for the Mohawk Hunters Mardi Gras Indian Tribe of Algiers, masking alongside his grandfather, Big Chief Tyrone Casby. His sudden death sent ripples of grief through his family and the close-knit Mardi Gras Indian community, where he was a cherished member. He was remembered as a beloved son, brother, and grandson, with a large extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends who mourned his passing.
The investigation into Georé's death led to the arrest of two suspects. Nearly a month after the shooting, on February 17, 2023, Baton Rouge Police arrested 18-year-old Landon Johnson. He was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and illegal use of a weapon. The investigation continued, and on October 4, 2023, a second 18-year-old was taken into custody in connection with the homicide. Due to being a juvenile at the time of the offense, this individual was booked into the East Baton Rouge Juvenile Detention Center on the same charges as Johnson, and their name was not publicly released by the authorities.
