Accidental shooting in Des Allemands

Two men playing with stolen gun, police say

Justin Howard

A Des Allemands man is in jail after allegedly shooting his friend on accident, according to the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Justin I. Howard, 26, of 16683 LA 631, was arrested on Oct. 18 and charged with possession of a stolen firearm, negligent injury, illegal use of a weapon and felony carrying an illegal weapon.

Howard and his friend, an 18-year-old Des Allemands man, were walking together when the silver handgun that Howard was holding accidentally went off, hitting his friend in the back of his right shoulder, according to Captain Pat Yoes with the St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office.

Yoes said the two then hid the gun, which turned out to be stolen, before splitting up. When the friend went to University Hospital for the gunshot wound, police were called.

Police obtained a search warrant and found the weapon, and Howard was later arrested and is being held in the St. Charles Parish Jail. He was also found to be a convicted felon, according to Yoes, so it was illegal for him to be in possession of a firearm.

The condition of Howard’s friend was unknown by authorities.