Late Monday night, tragedy struck an Indiana shopping center as a shooting claimed the lives of a man and a 3-year-old boy.
Gunshots rang out at the shopping center on N. Shadeland Avenue in Indianapolis, leaving a man and a child severely wounded. The vehicle they were in at the parking lot became the scene of the tragic incident.
It was not immediately evident what occurred – whether the shooting was a deliberate, targeted incident or a random event, with the 22-year-old man and 3-year-old boy caught in the midst of it.
The Marion County Coroner confirmed on Tuesday morning that the man involved in the incident was identified as 22-year-old Jaishawn Darell Johnson. Additionally, the young boy who was also tragically affected was identified as 3-year-old Armonie Booker. Both individuals had sustained critical injuries and unfortunately succumbed to their injuries shortly thereafter.
According toWISH-TV, emergency medical personnel and members of the Indianapolis Police Department responded to a shooting at the Shadeland Station Shopping Center on Monday night around 9:30 p.m. The incident occurred at one of the retail establishments within the shopping center.
According to IMPD Sgt. William Young, witnesses informed the local TV station that the shooting occurred as a result of a fight. However, the police have not been able to verify these rumors.
“We are currently in the process of gathering information to determine their origin and destination, as well as the purpose of their visit,” Young stated in an interview with FOX59. “We are still in the early stages of the investigation and have not yet reached any conclusions.”
“I am filled with immense frustration,” he expressed. “The school year has just begun, and we were eagerly anticipating a return to education. It is utterly disheartening that I find myself here, speaking to you about a child being subjected to a gunshot.”
The Marion County Coroner has not confirmed if the two individuals who were killed are related. The incident is currently under investigation, and the police are seeking help in identifying any suspects involved.
