ST. MARTIN PARISH — A tragic altercation outside a tailgating event hosted by the Saint Martinville Alumni Association at Saint Martin High School on Friday resulted in the death of Deondre Benjamin and the arrest of 22-year-old Zackyric Gardner on a second-degree murder warrant.

Saint Martinville Mayor Jason Willis stated that the incident was unrelated to the backdoor incident.

“This would happen anywhere they would see each other, whether it was at McDonald’s, Burger King, or even at the football game without the graduation celebration,” Mayor Willis said.

He emphasized that the shooting took place after the event had ended and did not involve participants celebrating the event.

According to Mayor Willis, the tailgate incident was approved by the Saint Martin Parish school board.

In light of the shootings, Mayor Willis expressed concerns about the community’s perception of safety. “I don’t want the people of Saint Martinville to have to live because this tragedy happened or to think that our city is unsafe,” Mayor Willis said.

When asked if the incident would lead to a re-evaluation of security measures for future events, Mayor Willis acknowledged the importance of awareness: “Of course there was a lot of security at this event, but I think it was a reminder to be more aware and more careful. Especially be mindful of our security.” he said.

Although the victim’s family declined to comment, Mayor Willis said he hopes to continue community meetings in Saint Martinville and aims to do what he can to ensure the safety of participants.

Saint Martinville Police Department, St. The Martin County Sheriff’s Department is actively investigating the incident in cooperation with the Louisiana State Police.