Ferriday shooting suspect arrested

Published 12:06 am Wednesday, October 16, 2013

FERRIDAY — The third suspect who fled from law enforcement officials after a Ferriday shooting Saturday morning was arrested in New Iberia Tuesday.

Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy David Hedrick said Jatroy Devantae Whitehead, 21, 1341 Twenty Arpent Road, New Iberia, was arrested Tuesday by Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies after warrants were issued for his arrest Monday.

Whitehead will be charged with three counts of attempted second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated burglary and aggravated flight from an officer.

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Justin M. Smith, 20, 751 Myrtis St., New Iberia, and Darius D. Keys, 20, 1047 Carmen Road, St. Martinville, were both arrested on the same charges, as well as resisting an officer.

The Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office received a call at 7:21 a.m. Saturday about a shooting on Earl Davis Road.

Whitehead, Smith and Keys went into the residence and entered a bedroom where the 37-year-old male victim, his girlfriend and a baby were lying in a bed. The intruders allegedly shot the male victim in the leg before he fled outside the residence, where he was reportedly shot three more times in the legs, Hedrick said.

The victim was taken to Riverland Medical Center and treated for four gunshot wounds.

The woman and child were not injured in the shooting.

The gunmen then allegedly went back into the residence and stole a television before leaving the area in a gold SUV.

A CPSO deputy saw the vehicle on U.S. 84 west at approximately 7:26 a.m. and pursued the vehicle while other deputies laid out spike strips on Luttrell Road.

The suspects evaded the first set of spike strips and a second set of spike strips laid out by Louisiana State Police troopers near Louisiana 565.

During the pursuit, the driver of the vehicle braked suddenly, and the vehicle skidded into a ditch. Smith and Keys were arrested on the scene, while Whitehead fled across the levee.

Deputies recovered various items from the wreck scene, including a duffle bag containing seven hollow-point bullets. No weapons were recovered.

Hedrick said CPSO deputies were traveling to New Iberia Tuesday to retrieve Whitehead and for further questioning.

Hedrick said he believes the shooting is drug-related based on interviews with the suspects, but that further details can’t yet be released.