Jamir Carmouche

On the evening of November 9, 2024, the celebratory atmosphere following a University of Louisiana homecoming football game in Lafayette was destroyed by a burst of gunfire. The shooting, which erupted outside the KOK Wings and Things restaurant, tragically claimed the life of Jamir Carmouche, a 24-year-old Black man. A truck driver by trade, Jamir had returned to his hometown for the weekend to spend time with his girlfriend. His family described him as an innocent bystander caught in a senseless act of violence.

The shooting occurred around 7:30 p.m. on East University Avenue, just across from the university's campus. In the chaos, Jamir Carmouche and another man, 26-year-old Corey Mouton, were fatally wounded. Two other men, Lawrence Levy and Carlos Charles, were also struck by gunfire and transported to a hospital in stable condition. Lafayette police later stated that one of the victims who died at the scene appeared to have been the intended target, while Jamir and the two wounded men were bystanders.

In the days following the tragedy, Jamir's friends and family gathered for a balloon release to honor his memory. His cousin, Renee Helaire, spoke about the pain of burying a child, saying, "We shouldn't have to bury our children. Our children should be burying us." Family members pleaded for an end to gun violence, with one cousin urging the community to "Put the guns down and pray." The memorial became a call for peace in a city shaken by the loss of two young lives.

The investigation into the double homicide progressed over the following months. In February 2025, a Lafayette Parish grand jury returned indictments against four men in connection with the shooting. Dylon James Doucet, 26; Trevon Tenell Charles, 26; Dnedrick Dawan Wilson, 26; and Davontae Vontrell Gardner, 25, were each indicted on two counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of Jamir Carmouche and Corey Mouton.

Each of the four men also faces two counts of attempted second-degree murder for the injuries sustained by Lawrence Levy and Carlos Charles. As of February 2025, all four defendants are awaiting trial in the 15th Judicial District Court.