About a weekend shooting that left one person dead and 17 others injured in the city of Muncie in central Indiana, a man was formally charged on Friday with two counts of aggravated violence and criminal recklessness.
Police work the scene of a shooting on July 30, 2023, in Muncie, Ind. A Muncie man was formally charged Friday, Aug. 4, in connection with the weekend shooting that left one person dead and 17 others wounded in the central Indiana city. (Source: Douglas Walker/The Star Press via AP, File)
Investigation Still Continues for the Shooting Incident
The Delaware Circuit Court also filed a charge of possession of a firearm by a major violent criminal against John L. Vance Jr., 36-year-old. Eric Hoffman, the prosecutor for Delaware County, acknowledged that the charges do not expressly include the shooting death of Joseph E. Bonner III, 30, of Muncie. “This investigation is still very much open. The facts and evidence will guide the inquiry and any ensuing prosecution”, according to Hoffman’s statement.
In a published report by AP News, authorities have reported that the shooting occurred early on Sunday during a block party in a community about 60 miles (100 kilometers) northeast of Indianapolis that was attended by hundreds of partygoers while police were contacting the venue’s owner to call off the event. According to Nathan Sloan, the chief of police for Muncie, Bonner was present.
According to Sloan, police were informed that the proprietor of a company that occasionally lends out space for events was having a block party that “got out of control” with 500 to 1,000 people in attendance. Police markings were visible on what seemed to be hundreds of bullets in the street in photos taken at the scene.
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A Shooting Incident Occurred During a Block Party
When the incident occurred shortly after one in the morning, police were not present. But they were attempting to get the proprietor to end the celebration on Sunday, according to Sloan. The day after the shooting, Sloan said during a press conference, “We called the owner and requested that he stop down operations. The sidewalks were crowded. The gunshots started before we could get in touch and take action before we could get that turned down.” Officers and first responders arrived at the area on Muncie’s east side to a chaotic scene, according to Sloan. “Our personnel were using tourniquets, giving first aid, and performing CPR. We didn’t have time to wait, so we were hurrying individuals to the hospital in our police vehicles”, Sloan added.
According to Deputy Muncie Police Chief Melissa Criswell, officers had to clear a route at the hospital’s entrance for anyone needing medical attention and separate people who were fighting in a hospital parking lot after the shooting.
Vance, who was detained on Tuesday, remained in custody on Friday while being held on a $105,000 bond. There was no attorney listed for him in online court records.
Hoffman also submitted the paperwork required to request that Vance be labeled a habitual offender, which may result in a harsher sentence if he is found guilty of the counts he is facing. The Muncie guy has a criminal history that includes convictions for assault, domestic battery, false informing, battery, resisting law enforcement, and unauthorized possession of a firearm by a significant violent felon.
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