Oats
Two suspects in the drive-by shooting in Lincoln Park have been formally charged in Bartholomew Superior Court 1.
Bartholomew County Prosecutor Lindsey Holden-Kay charged Edmarius Malik Oats, 18, of 3464 Old Field Lane, with Level 1 felony attempted murder in the case, along with four counts of Level 3 felony aggravated battery for each of the basketball players who were shot in the incident on May 23, court documents state.
Alexander I. Parker, 18, of 512 Pence St., is accused of four counts of Level 3 felony aiding, inducing or causing aggravated battery for each of the basketball players who were shot, and an additional charge of Level 5 felony assisting a criminal, court documents state.
Parker
Oats is accused as the shooter in the incident, with Parker driving the vehicle involved, court documents state.
The probable cause affidavits in the case state that investigators were sent to the Lincoln Park basketball court at about 7:44 p.m. May 23 about multiple people being shot.
In total, there were four victims identified as Gavin Hardin, 18, Tyler Hamm, 23, and two juveniles, one who is 16 years old and one who is 17 years old, investigators said.
Officers at the scene were told a grey or silver car pulled up next to the basketball court, driven by Parker, court documents state. The courts are behind the Hamilton Center indoor ice rink and adjacent to several ball diamonds.
Witnesses said the rear window of the vehicle rolled down and Oats was seen in the back seat, according to the affidavit. Witnesses told detectives that Oats fired several shots into the crowd, striking four people and then the vehicle left at a high rate of speed.
At the time of the shooting, the park was filled with people playing softball and kickball, and nearby Hamilton Center was having hockey tryouts with numerous young people at the rink. The facility was locked down immediately after the shooting and numerous people on the ball diamonds fled from the shooting, while others went to the scene to try to help the victims.
The affidavit states that there had been an ongoing conflict between Oats and Hardin about a female that both had previously dated. Prior to the shooting, Hardin was at the basketball court with the other victims and Devinion “Abe” Fuller, according to court documents. Fuller placed a call to Oats via Instagram using the 16-year-old’s account, the affidavit states. Oats learned that Hardin was at the Lincoln Park courts and words were exchanged between Oats and Hardin with Fuller “being the middle man,” according to the affidavit.
At one point, Oats told Fuller to pass the message to Hardin that Oats was going to come and “shoot him in his (expletive),” with the shooting occurring about 30 minutes after that message, according to the affidavit.
When Hardin was interviewed by detectives, he said he believed the shooter was Oats, according to the affidavit.
Parker was later located driving the suspect vehicle towards Franklin and was stopped and arrested, the affidavit states. Investigators did find a shell casing inside the vehicle, court documents state. Parker admitted to being the driver of the vehicle but refused to tell detectives who was in the vehicle with him, the affidavit states.
Detectives found three spent 9mm shell casings and unspent .22 bullets in Parker’s vehicle, the affidavit states.
Detectives reviewed Oats’ social media accounts and found Oats holding several different firearms and cash, which were saved, although they were later disappeared from the social media account, the affidavit states.
A witness said Oats was dropped off at his home sometime after the shooting, wearing all black clothing and carrying a backpack, the affidavit states. Oats was seen leaving the residence but officers were waiting for a search warrant, the affidavit states.
Investigators believed he had returned to the home, and a SWAT team set up at the residence, where negotiators were able to contact Oats by cell phone, court records state. Oats later walked outside and surrendered.
When questioned, Oats denied being involved, the affidavit states. Detectives executed a search warrant of the Oats residence and located an empty box of 9mm ammunition, an unspent .22 round, a black Crossfire holster and a plastic box for a 9mm magazine, according to the affidavit.
Oats and Parker have been held without bond in the Bartholomew County Jail since the shooting, according to jail officials.
