Dayton DeShawn Washington was an 18-year-old known to family and friends as funny, cool, and respectful. He was shot once in the abdomen on the evening of Sunday, October 27, 2019, at about 7:50 p.m. at the LaTierra Villa Apartments in Shreveport’s Western Hills neighborhood. He was taken to Ochsner LSU Health and died just before 9 p.m.

Investigators say Washington had been inside an apartment with several other young men when they began passing an assault-style rifle among themselves. Police allege 18-year-old LaTroy Derez Smith Jr. was pointing the rifle at one of the others when it discharged, striking Washington. Smith told investigators he had been distracted by another voice and turned, accidentally pointing the gun at Washington when it fired. The day after the shooting, Smith was arrested and charged with manslaughter; a 17-year-old, Cameron Boatwin, was arrested the following day on a charge of accessory after the fact to manslaughter.

At a bench trial, the judge heard six witnesses and Smith’s recorded confession. On June 20, 2022, Smith, then 21, was found guilty of manslaughter in Washington’s death. Does anyone who knew Dayton or was in that building that night have information to share?