Patterson teen mourned; shooting believed to be accidental

A 13-year-old Patterson boy died Saturday after apparently sustaining a gunshot wound to the head Friday night in what authorities say may have been an accidental shooting.
On Friday night, just before midnight, a deputy responding to an unrelated complaint was flagged down by several people on Grandwood Drive in the Patterson area . They said they heard gunfire, according to a St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office news release.
The deputy went to a nearby apartment and located an unresponsive 13-year-old boy with an apparent gunshot wound to the head, the release said.
The juvenile was pronounced deceased by the St. Mary Parish Coroner. No foul play is suspected , the release said. Detectives collected evidence indicating that the juvenile’s death was the result of an accidental shooting, the release said.
The St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office and St. Mary Parish coroner are investigating the death. Coroner Dr. F.H. Metz said the autopsy was scheduled for today.
Trevon Madise, 13, of Patterson, passed away at 2:10 a.m. Saturday, according to an obituary from Jones Funeral Home. Madise was a seventh-grader at Patterson Junior High School.
“It certainly is a tragedy that is leaving us heartbroken,” Patterson Junior High Principal Suzanne Bergeron said. The school’s faculty is taking Madise’s death “very hard,” Bergeron said. Bergeron also spoke with Madise’s mother, who is at peace, she said.
Bergeron said St. Mary Parish Safe and Drug Free Schools Coordinator Gidget Everitt offered services to help students in the aftermath of Madise’s death.
Bergeron contacted the Rev. Marty Harden of Bethel Pentecostal Fellowship, which runs the school’s “Insight” program, to provide ministers for students when they come back to school. Insight is a voluntary program for students held at recess, Bergeron said.
Following Madise’s death, the Morgan City and Patterson boys’ basketball teams gathered in prayer Saturday after the game at the Advance Physical Therapy Lumberjack Invitational at Patterson High.
Though Patterson won the game 53-44, Patterson head coach Ryan Taylor said, “The most proud moment of the day was both teams coming together at half court for a prayer. This community is so close and when tragic events happen, they are there for each other.”
Morgan City assistant coach Kevin Louis also reflected on the gathering.
“It was of kids all playing with heavy hearts because of the death (of) a friend, cousin, family member and classmate,” Louis said. “It was a moment that they realized we are all in this life game together, and we need to pray for each other and unite as one family.”
Students also organized and held a candlelight vigil Saturday night on the Patterson High School football field after the basketball game, Bergeron said.