Intruder dead, another arrested and more arrests possible after homeowner defends property

ZACHARY - One person was shot and killed in a home invasion late Tuesday night in Zachary.

According to the Zachary Police Department, the shooting occurred in the 4000 block of McHugh Road when a group of people tried to break into an apartment. The suspect, Damon Hayes, Jr., 20, was shot and killed by a homeowner.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office is assisting the Zachary Police Department process the scene that included numerous bullet casing, according to Zachary Police Chief David McDavid.

McDavid says, "... a lot of elderly people live in here now, we are starting to get more people here and getting complaints about some possible problems in here but, in Zachary very seldom do we have shootings and homicides here. Tonight we have one, and we are early in the investigation and we will have more details as things get processed."

Investigators questioned the homeowner about the shooting. According to police, the homeowner knew at least one of the intruders and had let him into the home.

Zachary Police said Hayes and two others broke into the home. Jordale Carter, 20, was arrested and there could be others arrested, too. Carter has multiple previous arrests for charges including illegal possession of a firearm, illegal use of a weapon, sexual battery, and resisting arrest.

WBRZ previously reported on Carter after he was arrested for groping a female victim in the women's restroom of the Corporate Boulevard Hooters in June. In that case, officers say Carter crept up behind the woman as she was washing her hands and began touching her inappropriately and asking for her number. Carter reportedly ran from police before being apprehended on that occasion.

Carter is now charged with burglary, armed robbery, battery, theft of a firearm, possession of marijuana, and because his accomplice died during a crime, Carter is also charged with murder.

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