On December 10, 2020, 16-year-old Josiah Pujols, a Haynes Academy for Advanced Studies student and football player known as JoJo, was fatally shot in a parking lot in the 3900 block of Division Street in Metairie, Louisiana. He had told his aunt, Brittany Gaskins, that they were running an errand to pick up clothes; a 17-year-old friend accompanied them.

The 17-year-old with Josiah exited the vehicle and shot and killed 22-year-old Melvin Francis. An associate of Francis, 21-year-old Robert White, returned fire and a bullet struck Josiah in the head, killing him; Gaskins was also wounded but managed to drive away and call for help. The 17-year-old was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder, held responsible both for killing Francis and for initiating the exchange that led to Josiah’s death. Robert White was arrested on drug and weapon charges; investigators concluded his actions were in self-defense and he was not charged with murder.