In the summer of 2022, the life of 15-year-old Anwon Omar Ceasor Jr., a Black / African American male, was cut short in Las Vegas, Nevada. On the evening of July 15, events unfolded at the Tides at Walnut Apartments on East Cheyenne Avenue that would end in tragedy. Anwon, who was born in Natchez, Mississippi, and had family ties to Louisiana, found himself in a perilous situation that quickly turned fatal.
He was rushed to the UMC Children's Trauma Center but ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into Anwon's death revealed a complex and dangerous scenario. Initially, details were scarce, but it soon emerged that the shooting was connected to an apparent drug deal that had gone wrong. A man involved in the incident flagged down police officers and claimed he had shot someone in self-defense after the situation escalated. This claim would become a central point in the subsequent investigation conducted by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Months later, the full story came to light through court proceedings. Prosecutors detailed that Anwon, along with two other teenagers, had planned to rob a marijuana dealer. Anwon had entered the dealer's vehicle and pulled out a gun, prompting the dealer to draw his own weapon and fire in what authorities later determined to be self-defense. Consequently, the man who shot Anwon was never charged with a crime.
While the shooter was not charged, the investigation did lead to an arrest. One of the teenagers involved in the planned robbery with Anwon, Damarion Bennett, who was 15 at the time of the incident, was later identified by detectives. In January 2023, prosecutors announced that Bennett, then 16, would face felony charges as an adult for his role in the fatal encounter. He was charged with robbery resulting in death, with prosecutors stating that he was aware of the risks and had hoped to steal a gun from the dealer. Anwon's family later held his funeral services in Frogmore, Louisiana, where he was laid to rest.
