A lone piece of crime scene tape lay wadded up among a mix of clover grasses in a common area at Cedar Ridge Apartments on Tuesday, a grim reminder of a life lost.

Police in Port Arthur on Tuesday were still trying to find out if Devonte Demarcus Gillam, 19, was accidentally or intentionally shot Monday night while at a friend’s apartment. Port Arthur Police speculate there were at least two other people in the apartment at 7631 Ninth Ave. when they received the call of a shooting at about 10:30 p.m.

Monday, Det. Mike Hebert said officers responded to the shooting and found Gillam, of Port Arthur, with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. He was transported to St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont but died shortly after arrival.

“Several individuals were in the apartment and stayed there and were questioned by investigators,” Hebert said. “One individual is believed to have left the scene prior to officers getting there.”

It was unknown if the offense was an accidental or intentional shooting.

The Criminal Investigations Division of the PAPD was investigating.