October 28, 2024 - The Center Police Department (CPD) communications center received a 911 call on October 22, 2024, at approximately 2:30pm regarding a shooting on Rex St. with one individual injured.
Officers responded to the scene and on their arrival, it was learned that the shooter was still on scene.
Darrell Barnes
Officers were able to detain Darrell Barnes, who was identified as the shooter without incident. It was then learned that Lajagger Barnes was the victim and had been transported to the Emergency Department by a personal vehicle with a gunshot wound to the chest.
Lajagger Barnes was pronounced deceased a short time after arriving at the Center E.R. by the E.R. physician on duty.
CPD Detectives responded to the scene and began processing the scene and collecting evidence.
Darrell was arrested and charged with Manslaughter, Felony 2, transported to the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, and booked into the jail without incident.
Lajagger was transported to the Southwest Institute of Forensic Science for an autopsy.
Officers and Detectives cleared the scene at around 5:30pm. At 6:15pm, the CPD Communications received another 911 call to the shooting location regarding a disturbance with weapons.
On arrival, it was learned that a vehicle with four males arrived on the scene displaying weapons in possible retaliation for the earlier incident, but those persons had left the location before law enforcement arrived.
CPD Officers obtained a vehicle description and located it moments after it departed the scene. CPD Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle and it failed to stop for officers.
CPD Officers pursued the suspect vehicle for a short time before it pulled into the yard of a residence on Matlock St. One individual exited the vehicle and fled on foot from officers.
Jason Calloway, Jr.
Three individuals were detained on the scene. They were identified as JaCarlos Pruitt, 21, of Nacogdoches, and Jason Calloway, Jr., 21, of Timpson. All three were detained and transported to the CPD for questioning. The fourth person in the vehicle was a juvenile.
During interviews, the identity of the suspect who fled on foot was revealed to be Chayse Duckett, 18, of Nacogdoches.
Jacoban Pruitt
Officers then obtained an arrest warrant for Duckett. Pruitt, and Calloway, were taken into custody and transported to the Shelby County Sheriff's Office and booked into jail without incident.
Duckett was arrested on October 24, 2024, in Nacogdoches, transported to the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, and booked into jail on the warrant for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, without incident.
Chayse Duckett
This case is an ongoing investigation, and no further information is available at this time.
The Center Police Department would like to thank the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety Troopers, Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Wardens, Shelby County District Attorney, Allegiance EMS, Shelby County Constable Pct. 5, Nacogdoches Police Department, and Shelby County Pct. 1 Judge Donna Hughes; for all their assistance in both incidents that occurred.
Related Article:
Center PD Investigates Shooting on Rex Street; One Suspect in Custody
