Man charged with second degree murder in Cottonport shooting

The following was released by the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff Office:

On August 14, 2020, at approximately 0005 hours, the Avoyelles Communication Center received a 911 call reporting an altercation that occurred resulting in shots fired on or near the roadway near 406 Martin Luther King Drive in Cottonport, Louisiana. At the request of the Cottonport Police Chief, the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisiana State Police, responded to the scene. Further investigation revealed that Devante Caldwell, a 26-year-old male of 650 Jacobs Street, Cottonport, was armed with a handgun when an altercation began between, he and some other subjects in the area. During the altercation, Caldwell claims he was punched in the mouth by one of the subjects and he responded by firing several shots at the fleeing aggressor and the group with him. One of the rounds fired struck a man that witnesses claim was attempting to deescalate the situation when he was shot. Acadian Ambulance Service responded to the scene and their personnel found no signs of life in the man. The Avoyelles Parish Coroner’s Office responded to the scene and later pronounced the man dead. Further investigation by the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office Detectives and the Avoyelles Parish Coroner’s Office revealed the identity of the deceased man as Thomas McGhee, a 27-year-old male of 306 North Sycamore Street, Bunkie. Devante Caldwell was subsequently arrested and booked into the Avoyelles Parish Jail for Second Degree Murder. Bond was set at $1,000,000.00.

Sheriff David L. Dauzat would like to thank all of the law enforcement agencies that assisted in the investigation and securing the scenes.