A routine afternoon at St. Helena College and Career Academy in Greensburg, Louisiana, turned tragic on September 12, 2023, when 16-year-old student and football player Vernon Gordon Jr. was shot and killed in the school parking lot around 3 p.m. Two other students were wounded during dismissal. Gordon was the nephew of the school’s principal and the son of an assistant football coach.

Authorities arrested a 14-year-old student, Christopher Williams, who was charged by the St. Helena Parish Sheriff’s Office with second-degree murder, aggravated second-degree battery, illegal possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in a gun-free zone. Investigators at one point cited bullying as a possible motive, though that was never definitively proven.

The community continues to mourn Vernon’s death. If anyone has information about the shooting or knew Vernon, please come forward and share what you know.