A second suspect is now in custody after a shooting outside a Baker convenience store left three people injured, as police continue investigating a stretch of Groom Road that saw a deadly, still-unsolved killing just weeks before. Jyree Powell, 21, was arrested on October 8 in New Roads with help from the Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff's Office, more than two months after the August 3 gunfire at Buffalo Food Mart sent three wounded victims to local hospitals.
According to WBRZ, Powell was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on charges of aggravated assault with a firearm, illegal use of weapons, and aggravated criminal damage to property. WBRZ also reported that he was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. The station reported that Powell was arrested in New Roads with help from the Pointe Coupee Parish Sheriff's Office.
What Happened at the Convenience Store
The shooting unfolded at the Buffalo Food Mart on Groom Road, where officers say three people were wounded. The station's report notes a first suspect, 21-year-old Don'naezya Anderson, was arrested the day after the shooting, on August 4, facing charges of attempted second-degree murder and illegal use of a weapon. Arrest records indicate security footage allegedly captured the moment three shots were fired by Anderson.
At the scene, officers recovered shell casings, unfired cartridges, blood, and a broken gun magazine, according to an arrest warrant reported by local outlet Unfiltered with Kiran. That outlet also reported that officers responded after the three wounded victims had driven themselves to local hospitals. In the aftermath, the Baker Police Department characterized the incident on its Facebook page as an isolated altercation involving people who knew one another, stating there was no ongoing threat to the general public. Baker police said officers were dispatched shortly after midnight, at 12:08 a.m.
A Convenience Store With a Violent Summer
The August shooting wasn't the first act of gun violence at that address this year. Just 18 days earlier, on July 16, 19-year-old Dillon Murray was fatally shot outside the same Buffalo Food Mart, according to Unfiltered with Kiran's earlier coverage. An August 6 report by Unfiltered with Kiran described the homicide as unsolved. The July killing and August shooting occurred at the same store, 18 days apart.
Buffalo Food Mart is a convenience store on Groom Road in Baker. Two violent shootings took place there within weeks of each other.
What the Charges Could Mean
Anderson's attempted second-degree murder charge carries some of the steepest exposure under Louisiana law. A conviction under Louisiana Revised Statutes 14:27 and 14:30.1 can bring up to 50 years at hard labor without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence, according to legal reference site FindLaw.
Powell was charged with aggravated criminal damage to property and aggravated assault with a firearm.
Baker police have said no additional arrests are expected in connection with the shooting, per the station's report. Open questions remain, including what specific property damage occurred during the exchange of gunfire and how the cases against Anderson and Powell will proceed through East Baton Rouge Parish District Court.
