Lamar Hall, 32, of Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States has been arrested. On the evening of December 2, 2023, he was in Zachary, East Baton Rouge Parish.
That night, Smith Ponderosa Riders hosted an event called the Big Bonfire Party on W. Port Hudson Plains Road in Zachary. More than 1,000 people attended the party including La’Taurus Smith, 16, of Zachary.
The party was scheduled to include a bonfire, an all-terrain vehicles (ATV) trail ride and live music performances. At around 8:20 p.m., gunfire erupted on W. Port Hudson Plains Road.
East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the scene and found Smith unresponsive with gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
On the morning of December 3, 2023, Hall was arrested. He admitted to being involved in the shooting.
When interviewed by detectives, Hall said “due to a large shoot-out occurring with other unknown individuals” at the Big Bonfire Party, he took out his weapon and fired it at the trail ride. Several partygoers were injured as they tried to flee from the area.
Hall was booked into the East Baton Rouge Prison. He was charged with first-degree murder and illegal use of a weapon.
The investigation is ongoing. Aside from Hall, the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office also detained other unidentified suspects for their involvement in the shooting.
CONAN Daily 