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Suspect in teen's murder was free on bond for another shooting arrest at time of slaying
BATON ROUGE – A week after WBRZ reported about criminals committing violent acts while free on bond, police announced the arrest of another person tied to a deadly shooting while free on bond for a previous violent altercation.
Javonta Broden, 19, was arrested this week in connection with the September 11 shooting death of Christopher Fields, 18. Fields was gunned down around 10 a.m. at the Renaissance Gateway Apartments on North Ardenwood.
The deadly shooting occurred less than a month after the suspect, Broden, was released on bond following a shootout on Mother’s Day. Five people, including a 12-year-old, were injured in the wild shootout, parts of which were captured on video.
It was in the aftermath, a frustrated Crime Stoppers official said Baton Rouge faced a crime problem: “It takes the entire community to resolve the crime problem that we have," they said.
The Mother’s Day gunfire erupted in the parking lot of Carlin’s Food Market on Plank Road.
After the shooting, the Baton Rouge Police Chief said people are “sick and tired of the violence.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT THE MOTHER'S DAY SHOOTING AND SEE VIDEO OF THE GUNFIGHT
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All five people injured were store customers, police previously told WBRZ. Police never elaborated on the intended target but believe that some of the victims, if not all, were bystanders caught in the crossfire.
Broden was arrested in connection with the May 10 shooting and bonded out of jail on August 20. Fields was killed 22 days later. Broden was due in court on charges related to the Mother’s Day shooting next week.
Just last week, WBRZ Chief Investigator Chris Nakamoto reported on a similar situation where an attempted murder suspect bonded out of jail and committed more alleged crimes.
The grandmother in the unrelated case said the system is to blame: "The problem is the system," said Stephanie Bailey. "I don't know what they do when they decide who they are going to let out, and it should be a structured system."
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