Sentencing for the driver of a vehicle involved in a drive-by shooting in Lincoln Park on May 23, 2023 has been delayed in Bartholomew Superior Court 1.
The sentencing for Alexander Parker, 512 Pence St., who was 18 at the time of the shooting, has been rescheduled from Wednesday to 9:30 a.m. Nov. 12, according to court records.
Parker has entered into a plea bargain agreement, agreeing to plead guilty to one Level 5 felony of assisting a criminal. In exchange, the prosecution agreed to dismiss four Level 3 felony counts of aggravated battery.
Multiple motions for continuance have been filed regarding Parker’s sentencing hearing. According to court records, his sentencing hearing was initially scheduled for Feb. 27, 2024.
According to court documents, on May 23, 2023, Parker pulled up next to the basketball court behind the Hamilton Community Center and Ice Arena. Edmarius Oats, 21, then rolled down a window and fired several shots into the crowd, according to court records.
Four victims were identified at then-18-year-old Gavin Hardin, then-23-year-old Tyler Hamm and two juveniles, who were then 16 and 17 years old. Three of the four victims were flown by Lifeline helicopter to Indianapolis hospitals. All victims survived the shooting and have recovered.
Oats plead guilty to four counts of Level 3 felony aggravated battery when the assault poses a substantial risk of death. He was initially also charged with attempted murder, but that was dropped as part of a plea bargain agreement. Oats received a 38-year prison sentence following witness testimony at his sentencing hearing in August.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Oats, who was also 18 at the time of the shooting, was jealous of Hardin regarding a girl, which led to the drive-by shooting. Oats was arrested in his neighborhood following a multi-hour standoff at his home.
“I never meant to hurt them,” Oats said in a statement to the court. “I’m not a bad person. I made a bad mistake and I will regret it for the rest of my life.”
During Oats’ sentencing hearing in August, Oats’ mother apologized to the individuals who were injured and stated that her son struggled in controlling his emotions and anger. Oats’ attorney Greg Long asked the court for leniency due to his client’s age and full acceptance of responsibility, but Bartholomew County Prosecutor Lindsey Holden-Kay pointed to Oats’ lengthy juvenile criminal history.
In 2019, Oats was placed in a juvenile treatment facility for battery, and was again charged with battery, this time on a police officer, in 2020. He was later placed on electronic monitoring and was charged with escape for cutting off the monitor. Oats served the remainder of his sentence in the Indiana Department of Correction.
“Edmarius is not new to the system,” Holden-Kay said. “He has had chances.”
