Abbeville, LA – A tragic shooting late Friday night in Abbeville resulted in the death of 20-year-old Tavian Anthony Young and left a woman hospitalized with a gunshot wound to her head. A three-year-old child, who was also in the vehicle at the time of the shooting, thankfully escaped unharmed.
The shooting occurred on South Guegnon Street, where police responded to multiple calls after 10 p.m. on Good Friday. The initial reports indicated gunshots fired in the area, followed by a call about a vehicle crashing into a utility pole in the parking lot of Landry’s Laundromat on Charity Street. Officers arrived at the scene to find the SUV crashed into the pole, with Young inside suffering from fatal gunshot wounds to his side. Despite efforts to revive him, Young was pronounced dead at the scene.
Shortly thereafter, another call led police to Prairie Avenue, where they discovered the woman, a passenger in Young’s vehicle, who had been shot in the back of her head. She was rushed to a nearby hospital and is currently listed in stable condition. The toddler, who was also in the car during the shooting, was unharmed and was picked up by family members after the incident.
According to investigators, the SUV was traveling north on Guegnon Street when multiple rounds were fired at the vehicle from a .223 caliber firearm. One bullet struck Young, and another hit the woman in the back of her head. The vehicle continued traveling north before making a right turn onto Charity Street, eventually crashing into the utility pole in the laundromat parking lot.
The Abbeville Police Department has launched an active investigation into the case and is urging the public to come forward with any information that may aid in solving the crime. Chief Hardy has emphasized the importance of community assistance and is encouraging anyone with knowledge of the incident to contact the Abbeville Police Department at (337) 893-2511, the APD Tips line at (337) 892-6777, or Crime Stoppers of Vermilion at (337) 740-TIPS. All tips can remain anonymous.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to uncover the details behind the shooting and bring those responsible to justice.