Shreveport teen found guilty in mass shooting in 2021 that began at movie theater

Makenzie Boucher, Shreveport Times
·2 min read

A Shreveport teen was found guilty of second-degree murder, following a mass shooting near Tinseltown Theater two years ago.

On Wednesday, Oct. 25, Caddo District Court found Ja’shun Smith, 18, guilty of eight counts of attempted second degree murder and four counts of aggravated criminal property damage.

According to evidence presented to the jurors, around 10:30 p.m. Sept. 4, 2021, Smith was driving a grey Kia Optima following a shooting at Tinseltown.

He headed to the Circle K at the corner of Youree Drive and East Bert Kouns Industrial Loop, where he stopped his car and waited for a white Honda Accord to come to the intersection. When the vehicle entered the intersection, Smith exited the driver’s seat and began firing a rifle at the intersection.

Other occupants from the Optima exited the vehicle and began shooting as well. Those shooters are awaiting trial.

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Caddo Parish Courthouse on Sept. 12, 2023.
Caddo Parish Courthouse on Sept. 12, 2023.

Kelvontae Daigre, 13, was in the back seat of the Accord, when he was struck in the back and killed.

This shooting led to one death, two injuries. According to evidence, three cars in the intersection with seven occupants were struck as well as Willis-Knighton Pierremont Medical Center.

Shreveport Police Department collected 50 shell casings from the Circle K parking lot.

Following the shootout Smith took police on a high-speed chase throughout Shreveport, ending in Cedar Grove.

Smith faces 10 to 50 years at hard labor without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence on each count of attempted murder, and one to 15 years with or without hard labor on each of the aggravated criminal damage to property counts.

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Makenzie Boucher is a reporter with the Shreveport Times. Contact her at mboucher@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Teen found guilty of murder following mass shooting in 2021