Darren Lorenzo Brown had a large family and was raised by his grandmother, Ms. Angeline Jackson. His grandmother stated he started going down the wrong path, but she loved him and tried talking to him "until I was blue in the face."

Ms. Angeline said he was a sweet baby but started hanging out with the wrong crowd. "I didn't raise him that way," she stated.

Eventually, Darren found himself in trouble with the law. He was initially sentenced to 18 months in Orleans Parish Prison for his role in a non-fatal shooting. However, his sentence was cut short, and he was scheduled to be released three months earlier than expected.

Upon hearing of Darren's early release, Ms. Angeline contacted the judge and pleaded to make Darren serve his entire 18-month sentence. She knew he was safer in prison than on the streets. If he was released early, Ms. Angeline feared there would be retaliation.

She even had nightmares that Darren would be killed once he got out. However, the judge responded that Darren would still be released early despite her wishes.

So it was; Darren was released three months early. And at the young age of 19, Darren wouldn't have very long to live.

On Sunday, September 9, 2012, at about 11 pm, authorities arrived to find Darren lying in the street in front of a bar at the corner of Apricot and Cherry Streets.

He was found with multiple gunshot wounds to his head and body and was pronounced dead at the scene. Darren was raised only a few blocks from where he was gunned down.