17-year-old arrested in Sunday homicide on Legion Street

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - A 17-year-old Ville Platte teenager has been arrested in connection with a fatal shooting on Legion Street Sunday morning.

J’vonte Melik Sterling is being held at Calcasieu Correctional Center on one count of second-degree murder in connection with the death of 23-year-old Eddie Hardman. Bond has been set at $1 million.

Officers responding to a shooting in the 2300 block of Legion Street around 9 a.m. Sunday found Hardman in the parking lot of Apartment J, injured with a gunshot wound, according to Capt. Kevin Kirkum, spokesman for the Lake Charles Police Department. Hardman later died at a local hospital.

Kirkum said detectives learned that the shooting followed an altercation between several parties. He said Sterling was not part of the initial altercation, but produced a handgun and shot Hardman.

Sterling left on foot, but was arrested soon after near where the shooting occurred.

Sgt. Larry Newingham and Cpl. Andrew Malveaux are the lead investigators.