In the late hours of a Friday evening in Sulphur, Louisiana, the life of 22-year-old Gaven Demeritt was tragically cut short. On December 6, 2024, what began as a gathering of four people in a room on Michael Lane ended in a fatal shooting that would lead to the arrest of two individuals. Gaven, a young man with a passion for the outdoors, belt buckles, and cowboy hats, was known for his calm demeanor and loyalty to his loved ones.
He had dreams of joining the Armed Forces and was cherished by his family and friends.
According to the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's deputies who arrived at the scene around 11:30 p.m., they discovered Gaven suffering from a gunshot wound to his chest. Despite immediate life-saving measures, he was pronounced dead by emergency medical personnel shortly thereafter. The investigation that followed painted a picture of a night that took a devastating turn due to the careless handling of a firearm. Witnesses reported that Gaven himself had been jokingly manipulating a revolver before handing it to a 16-year-old juvenile who was present.
The teenage suspect, reportedly under the impression that the revolver was unloaded, continued to handle the weapon in a similar careless manner. The situation escalated tragically when the juvenile pulled the trigger, discharging the firearm and striking Gaven. The immediate aftermath of the shooting saw an attempt to conceal the evidence. Another individual at the residence, 20-year-old Gage McMichael, allegedly took two firearms, including the one involved in the shooting, and hid them in an outdoor shed. He is also accused of removing a casing from the scene.
The following day, both the 16-year-old juvenile and Gage McMichael were arrested. The juvenile was booked into the Juvenile Detention Center, facing charges of negligent homicide and possession of a firearm by a juvenile. McMichael was booked into the Calcasieu Correction Center on a charge of obstruction of justice. The community was left to mourn the loss of a young man described as a hardworking, blue-collar individual who was loved by all who knew him. His family, including his parents Rebecca Broussard and Blane Demeritt, held services to honor his memory the following week.
