Docs: Muncie shooting result of fight
MUNCIE, Ind. (WISH) — Court documents obtained by News 8 offer insight into the moments that led up to Sunday’s mass shooting in Muncie.
John Vance, 36, was arrested Tuesday for his connection to the shooting on preliminary charges of two counts of aggravated battery, criminal recklessness, and possession of a firearm by a serious violent.
His cash bail is set at $105,000, according to Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman.
Vance is not charged with murder or aggravated murder.
“We have a lot to still do on this case,” Muncie Police Department Deputy Chief Melissa Criswell said.
According to the probable cause affidavit, witnesses told police they saw Joseph Bonner, who was killed during the shooting, and Vance in the middle of the party at the DJ booth.
Bonner then allegedly swung at Vance, sparking the fight.
Shortly after that, shots rang out.
One witness told police they heard 5-6 shots. That number is a lot lower than the number witnesses told I-Team 8 on Tuesday.
“It was just a lot of shots. Just a whole bunch of shots. Had to have been over fifty. It sounded like it was an automatic,” Nette Gudger, who was at the block party when the shooting happened, said.
I-Team 8 learned there were 14 officers on duty Saturday night in Muncie.
Police gave more details about their attempts to shut the party down before the shooting.
“We did make an initial phone call. We asked that that party be shut down. It was not shut down and then we tried to call several other times and he refused to take our call,” said Muncie Police Chief Nathan Sloan.
I-Team 8 asked Muncie police if they felt that the department felt too spread thin and was unable to effectively shut the party down.
“I wouldn’t say we were unable to properly shut it down. We did have several events going on that evening,” Muncie Police Deputy Chief Christopher Deegan said.
Right now, there are still 7 shooting victims still in the hospital.
Muncie police say all of them are listed as stable.
Meanwhile, their investigation into what happened continues.
“I can’t comment as far as future arrests, but we still have a lot to work and a lot of followups to complete,” Criswell said.
