SHREVEPORT, LA – Devoris Antonio Hardy, 23, is headed to federal prison after a brazen shootout near a Montessori school landed him in the crosshairs of both state and federal investigators. Hardy was sentenced yesterday to 36 months behind bars, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm while already indicted on a charge of second-degree murder.
The case began to unravel in December 2020, when a murder in Caddo Parish led to Hardy’s indictment on March 25, 2021. He was released on a $250,000 bond after formal arraignment on April 6, 2021. Less than a year later, on March 14, 2022, Hardy found himself at the center of another violent incident. Shreveport Police responded to reports of a shootout between two vehicles near Youree Drive and East Washington Street, dangerously close to a school.
Officers discovered Hardy and another individual near the vehicles, along with evidence of the gun battle: six spent shell casings inside Hardy’s car and a Glock 22 Gen 4, Caliber: 40 pistol hidden in the bed of a pickup truck belonging to an uninvolved third party. Ballistics confirmed the casings matched the gun. Hardy confessed to the shootout, claiming he’d grabbed the weapon – identified as his friend’s father’s – after spotting a rival gang member in the courtroom where he was attending a hearing on his murder charge. He feared a confrontation at the courthouse and believed the rival would follow him.
According to court documents, Hardy admitted to returning fire when the other vehicle opened up on them. The gun was then stashed in the pickup truck. Federal agents quickly took over the investigation, indicting Hardy in May 2022 for receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment, and holding him without bond, deeming him a danger to the community. A Caddo Parish jury later found him guilty of negligent homicide in the original murder case in August 2023, sentencing him to the maximum five years under state law. He then pleaded guilty to the federal firearms charge on October 23, 2023.
“This is a dangerous individual who has a callous disregard for human life,” stated U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. He noted the court had gone above recommended sentencing guidelines, delivering a 36-month sentence. Brown emphasized the ongoing collaboration between federal and local law enforcement, including the Shreveport Police Department and District Attorney Stewart’s office, to remove firearms from the hands of dangerous individuals and secure convictions in both state and federal courts.
The investigation was a joint effort between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Shreveport Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford prosecuted the federal case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative focused on reducing violent crime through coordinated law enforcement efforts and community partnerships.
Related Federal Cases
- Angelo Demario Young, Illegal Firearm Possession, LA 2024 · Louisiana
- Hector Alexander Cruz, Illegal Reentry and Firearms Possession, Lou… · Louisiana
- Skyland Washington, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, L… · Alabama
- Lawrence Jordan, Unlawful Firearm Possession, DC 2025 · Louisiana
- Michael Brandon Stewart, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Washington 2023 · Louisiana
Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
WeaponsWeaponsWeaponsWeapons