Man sentenced to 48 years in prison for deadly shooting at Port Allen High football game

BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A 19-year-old man has been sentenced to serve 48 years in prison following a deadly 2023 shooting at a Port Allen High School football game.

Jarrettin R. Jackson, II, 19, was found guilty of manslaughter, aggravated battery, and several other charges earlier this year.

Jackson fired multiple shots from an automatic weapon during halftime, killing 16-year-old Ja’Kobe Queen. Queen was shot in the head and neck.

In addition, the Port Allen man was found guilty of aggravated battery of Brasia Davis. Davis was shot in her right arm. Jackson was also found guilty of possession of a machine gun, carrying a firearm on school property, and obstruction of justice.

His sentences include:

• Manslaughter: 40 years
• Aggravated battery: 10 years
• Obstruction of justice: 10 years (all three to run concurrently)
• Unlawful possession of a machine gun: 8 years (to run consecutive to the manslaughter sentence)
• Possession of a firearm: 5 years (also consecutive to the manslaughter sentence)

According to the 18th Judicial Court, video recorded by local media during their coverage of the game was used as evidence by detectives with the West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office (WBRSO) to identify Jackson as the shooter. The cameras in the area recorded the shooting, the victim lying on the sidewalk, and attendees running away from the area.

Jackson is seen on camera in the area of the shooting minutes before the shots were fired and again running from behind a parked vehicle moments after. The gun used in the shooting was located by the sheriff’s office under the vehicle where Jackson was seen crouched and running from shortly after the shooting. Jackson later used another person’s phone to call his uncle and grandmother, asking them to come to the school to pick him up.

“These are the consequences of violent actions,” said District Attorney Tony Clayton. “Young people need to learn how to handle their disputes without guns. A bad decision made in a few seconds has ruined lives. These shootings and killings have got to stop. We have said repeatedly we will prosecute these gun cases hard – young people need to know they will forfeit their right to be free.”

Cellphone video by an anonymous witness given to law enforcement shows the moment Jackson fired the shots killing Queen. Jackson was also identified as the shooter by a Port Allen High School student who saw the incident.

The witness said a fight broke out between two individuals, Zakiylan Williams and Jaylin Smith. As punches were thrown, Jackson, who was at the game with Smith and was wearing a bandage on his left hand, got a gun and started shooting, killing Queen and injuring Davis.

It was later confirmed that Jackson had a broken left hand and had surgery earlier that day. The Louisiana State Police Crime Lab confirmed through forensic testing that the gun, magazine and cartridges all contained Jackson’s DNA. The gun was also linked to two earlier shootings in Baton Rouge.

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