By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – A Tennessee man was arrested on attempted second-degree murder charges after he allegedly shot at a LaPlace man during an argument Friday afternoon, according to a release from the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Jason Lee, 30, of Clinton Tenn., is accused of shooting at a 24-year-old man while driving away from the scene of the argument Friday, said Capt. Dane Clement, spokesman for the Sheriff’s Office. He said a male passenger in Lee’s vehicle, a white truck, had been arguing with the male victim and a 17-year-old female prior to the shooting.

According to a report on the shooting, sheriff’s deputies were called to the 200 block of Paula Drive in LaPlace just before 3:30 p.m. Friday when neighbors reported shots being fired. The two victims, who were not injured in the shooting, told deputies that during the verbal altercation, Lee pulled out a handgun and threatened to kill the 17-year-old. When the male victim approached the truck in defense of the female, Lee sped away from the area.

Clement said the male victim chased the vehicle on foot in an attempt to copy the license plate before Lee fired at the man. 

A few hours after the shooting, investigators located a vehicle matching the description of Lee’s truck in the same general area. When deputies pulled the vehicle over Lee and a female passenger, who was also present at the shooting, were inside but not the other male involved in the argument. Clement said detectives conducted interviews with the occupants and arrested Lee.

Lee was charged with attempted second-degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault, illegal use of a weapon and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is being held at the Sherman Walker Correctional Center on a $420,000 bond.

Clement said the investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information regarding the shooting should call St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives at 985-359-8769 or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.