BATON ROUGE — Four men were charged Thursday in a March shooting that killed 8-year-old Davian Nicholas while he played basketball near his home.
Hunter Calligan and Jeremiah Tanan Scott, both 22, were indicted on second-degree murder in the killing. Scott was also charged with illegal use of a weapon.
Jeremiah “Meezy” Walter, 25, and Everett Chambers, 21, were charged with manslaughter. Chambers was also charged with illegal use of a weapon.
Nicholas was playing basketball with siblings at a basketball goal at the dead end of Toria Avenue, a few doors down from his home on San Juan Drive about 6 p.m. on March 8.
Earlier in the day, arrest documents said, two armed groups had been arguing. A dispute between Calligan and Walter led to the arguments, arrest warrants said.
“These arguments escalated throughout the day. The two groups exchanged gunfire on San Juan Dr., with one group positioned on foot near the intersection with S. Laredo, and the other group inside a moving vehicle near the intersection with Toria Ave.,” one of the arrest affidavits said.
Nicholas was shot in the exchange of gunfire and died a short time later at a hospital.
Calligan lived at the house at the corner of San Jan and South Laredo, where deputies found a “large number of rifle cartridge cases” in the street after the shooting, the affidavit said. Investigators said Calligan told them he had a rifle and a handgun because he was expecting a fight with the other group, the affidavit said.
Scott told investigators he went to Calligan’s house in black clothing and a black ski mask. He brought an “AR-style rifle,” his arrest warrant said.
Walter and Chambers were in a Dodge Charger on San Juan, with Walter driving, Chambers’ arrest affidavit said. Calligan and Scott were outside Calligan’s house.
Walter drove toward Calligan’s house and investigators say Chambers fired a handgun at Calligan and Scott from the Charger, arrest warrants said.
Detectives believe Scott then stood in the street and fired back with his rifle. His position put Nicholas “in the direct line of fire,” Scott’s arrest warrant said.
Sheriff Sid Gautreaux called the crime a “heartbreaking and senseless tragedy.”
Katrina Culbreth, Nicholas’ aunt, told UWK it took away a child whose intelligence and personality left a lasting impression on everyone who met him.
“He’s pretty much a really, really smart kid,” Culbreth said. “He was the type of kid you’d catch reading books. He would play outside some, but he loved learning.”
Chambers pleaded not guilty in court Thursday. Scott and Calligan are set to be arraigned on Tuesday.
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