By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – A 17-year-old Reserve man, who originally told authorities he was the victim in a shooting on Joe Parquet Circle last week, was arrested Friday for his alleged involvement in the incident.

Chavine Robertson, of East 13th Street in Reserve, was charged with attempted first-degree murder and attempted armed robbery for shooting another man during a botched robbery on Aug. 25, said Capt. Dane Clement, public information officer for the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Clement said Robertson initially told deputies investigating the shooting, which occurred in the 200 block of Joe Parquet Circle, that he was the victim of a random attack when shots were fired from a vehicle in the area.

“The victim told deputies he was visiting family members in the area when a white Ford Crown Victoria approached,” Clement said. “He said he was shot in both legs and ran from the area to an adjacent property where deputies located him.”

What investigators eventually determined, Clement said, was that Robertson was the suspect in an armed robbery attempt that went badly.

“A tip from an anonymous caller led detectives to the vehicle involved in the botched robbery, which led detectives to the true victim,” Clement said. “The man gave detectives a statement that was consistent with physical evidence collected during the investigation.”

Clement said the man told detectives he was attempting to buy marijuana in the area when Robertson flagged him down and got into his vehicle and pointed a gun at him to rob him. The driver grabbed the gun, and during the struggle with the gun, the driver and Robertson each sustained gun shot wounds, Clement said.  

“The driver was shot in the calf, and Robertson was shot in the calf and thigh,” Clement said. “Robertson exited the vehicle and fled the area on foot, and the driver drove from the scene and initially never sought medical attention for his wound.”

Before he was considered a suspect, Robertson was transported to River Parishes Hospital, where he was treated and released, Clement said.

Robertson is being held at the Sherman Walker Correctional Center in LaPlace on a $350,000 bond. Clement said the driver of the vehicle was not charged in the incident.