A drug deal intended to involve about $300 worth of marijuana turned deadly on January 8 near the Baptiste Apartments on Highway 190W in Slidell, Louisiana. Nineteen-year-old Javonte Donaldson was shot and killed during a shootout between two groups; another man was wounded. This was reported as the first homicide in St. Tammany Parish in 2017.

Police arrested five people after the shooting. A grand jury later returned indictments: Christover Davis was indicted for second-degree murder; Anthony Ussin, Cody Hartley, Joshua Gayles, and Amira Bickham were indicted as principals to second-degree murder. Gayles also faced multiple additional counts, including attempted second-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, three counts of attempted armed robbery with a firearm, and obstruction of justice. Hartley faced an extra obstruction charge, and Bickham faced three counts of attempted armed robbery with a firearm.

Was anyone in the area that night aware of tensions around that sale or saw people arriving at the Baptiste Apartments?