ST. MARTIN PARISH — On Friday, a tragic altercation outside the tailgating event at Saint Martin High hosted by the Saint Martinville Alumni Association resulted in the death of Deondre Benjamin and the arrest of 22-year-old Zackyric Gardner on a second-degree murder warrant.
Saint Martinville Mayor Jason Willis stated that the incident was unrelated to the tailgating event.
“This would’ve happened anywhere they would’ve seen each other, whether it was McDonald's, Burger King, or even the football game without the homecoming festivities,” Mayor Willis remarked.
He emphasized that the shooting occurred after the event concluded and did not involve the attendees celebrating the occasion.
The tailgating event was sanctioned by the Saint Martin Parish school board, according to Mayor Willis.
In light of the shooting, Mayor Willis expressed his concern for the community's perception of safety. “I don’t want the people of Saint Martinville to live or think our city is unsafe because this tragedy happened,” Mayor Willis states.
When asked if the incident would lead to a reevaluation of security measures for future events, Mayor Willis acknowledged the importance of awareness, “Of course, this event had lots of security, but I think this served as a reminder to be more aware and more alert, especially our security,” he noted.
Although the family of the victim declined to comment, Mayor Willis says he hopes to continue community gatherings in Saint Martinville and aims to do all he can to ensure the safety of attendees
The Saint Martinville Police Department, in collaboration with the St. Martin Parish Sheriff's Department and Louisiana State Police are actively investigating the incident.
