On the evening of March 20, 2020, 17-year-old Christian Dunbar was found in the backyard of his family home on Bles Avenue in Baton Rouge with apparent gunshot wounds. His mother, Terrelyn Matthews, discovered him after hearing noises that were first mistaken for firecrackers; Christian was pronounced dead at the scene. The family reports the early investigation was complicated by the city-wide COVID-19 shutdown and that progress slowed after initial follow-up.

Matthews has told investigators she believes the shooting grew out of a dispute with a group of boys from another neighborhood and said two individuals were in the backyard with Christian when he was shot. Police took some people in for questioning about a month later but released them. In January 2021 a friend of Christian’s provided names and addresses and said an argument on Instagram Live that day included a challenge to Christian to “pull up.” The case remains open with no arrests or charges reported.

If anyone knew Christian, was at Bles Avenue that night, or has information about the Instagram Live altercation, please come forward.