On the evening of September 1, 2016, 19-year-old Javante Marquest Stockard was at Palacio Park in Las Vegas with friends when an argument about a handgun reportedly escalated. Stockard was seated in the back of a parked car when a friend who had been outside the vehicle allegedly pulled the trigger. Although the magazine had been removed, one round remained in the chamber and that bullet struck Javante in the chest.

Friends tried to help — D’Andre Dickerson pulled Javante from the car and onto the parking lot and emergency services were called. Stockard was taken to University Medical Center but died about half an hour after the shooting. The Clark County Coroner ruled the death a homicide from a gunshot wound to the chest. The person who fired fled on foot after the shooting but was later interviewed by Metro Police; investigators initially described the discharge as accidental. No arrests were announced at that time while the case was reviewed by the district attorney and homicide detectives.

Javante’s friends remembered him as a warm, goofy young man who loved to sing and had plans for the future. If anyone was at Palacio Park that night or has information about what happened, please come forward.