Shreveport Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Armed Robbery After Shooting Victim Outside Family Dollar
Shreveport, LA — A 21-year-old Shreveport man has pleaded guilty to attempted armed robbery in connection with a 2023 shooting outside a Family Dollar store that left one man injured. The plea came Friday, November 7, 2025, in Caddo Parish District Court before Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr.
The defendant, Zechariah Carl Stutts, changed his plea from not guilty to guilty-as-charged just after a 12-person jury was selected and sworn in to begin his trial. Stutts now faces up to 49.5 years at hard labor without the possibility of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence. He is scheduled to return to court for sentencing on December 9, 2025.
Love Shreveport-Bossier Media confirmed through court records that the crime occurred on February 9, 2023, when Stutts confronted the victim as he was leaving a Family Dollar in Shreveport. Investigators say Stutts brandished a firearm and demanded the victim’s car keys. The victim attempted to flee back toward the store for safety, but Stutts opened fire, striking the man once in the lower back before continuing to shoot as he fled the scene.
Responding officers quickly located and apprehended Stutts moments after the incident. The victim survived the gunshot wound after receiving medical attention. Prosecutors said the case was a clear example of violent intent interrupted only by quick police response.
Assistant District Attorneys Ashlin Thomas and Chase Burgess prosecuted the case, while Stutts was represented by the Caddo Parish Public Defender’s Office. The case was filed under docket number 393798.
Love Shreveport-Bossier Media confirmed that under Louisiana law, attempted armed robbery carries a severe penalty due to the involvement of a firearm and the risk posed to victims and the public. Stutts remains in custody pending his sentencing hearing in December.
