EVANGELINE PARISH — VILLE PLATTE, La. (KATC) — A Ville Platte community is mourning after a shooting Monday night claimed the life of a 15-year-old boy.
Police say the shooting happened along MLK Drive and led to the arrest of a 17-year-old, who is now charged with second-degree murder.
Neighbors who did not want to go on camera identified the victim as Javion Semien, a ninth grader at Ville Platte High School. They described him as a good kid who stayed out of trouble.
According to police, the accused shooter was initially booked into the Ville Platte City Jail before being transferred to the Evangeline Parish Jail, where he remains held on a $2.5 million bond.
Neighbors told KATC a vehicle parked along MLK Drive was struck by gunfire during the shooting, leaving the back window shattered by bullets.
On Wednesday, KATC attempted to gather additional details surrounding the case. Calls to the coroner’s office were not immediately returned, and court records connected to the accused juvenile were unavailable.
Meanwhile, Ville Platte High School paid tribute to Semien in a social media post, calling him a “sweet spirit” who brought light wherever he went.
“His bright smile, love for sports, and laughter could lift any room,” the post said. “He was a gentle, remarkable young man with a heart that will never be forgotten.”
You can read the full statement from Ville Platte High School here:
The City of Ville Platte also left behind this tribute to the 15 year old.
As the community grieves, efforts are now underway to support Semien's family.
A benefit dinner to help with funeral expenses will be held at the Martin Luther King Center in Ville Platte beginning at 10 a.m. Organizers say plates, which include a meal and drink, will be sold for $10.
A candlelight vigil honoring Semien is also scheduled for Friday at 5:30 p.m.
Ville Platte police say the investigation remains ongoing.
