A Monroe man is in custody following a shooting that took place Saturday evening in a Cotton Bayou neighborhood.
According to the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a call around 9:06 p.m. on May 24 regarding a shooting at 168 Cotton Bayou Lane. Upon arrival, deputies found 41-year-old Quanterio Shell with a laceration on the top of his head, reportedly caused by a bullet that grazed him.
Shell told deputies he was trying to break up a fight between his girlfriend, Barbara Thomas, and two women visiting from a neighboring residence. Shell said the alleged shooter, identified as 45-year-old Carlos Antonio Keys of 166 Cotton Bayou Lane, has had an ongoing issue with him. During the altercation, Keys allegedly swung a firearm toward Shell, and the weapon unintentionally discharged, grazing his head.
Deputies confirmed the injury and recovered a single .45 caliber shell casing at the scene. Shell declined medical treatment.
Meanwhile, deputies stopped the black truck that matched the suspect’s vehicle description. Keys was identified and detained during that traffic stop, according to authorities.
Barbara Thomas corroborated Shell’s account, telling officers the conflict stemmed from a dispute involving children playing outside. She said the confrontation escalated when two women from Keys’ residence began fighting her. During the struggle, she heard Keys chamber a round in his weapon, followed by a gunshot.
Keys was charged with aggravated second-degree battery. The investigation is ongoing.
It is easier to tell, than to make.