Former jailer charged with gun crime after caught on video

MUNCIE, Ind. (WISH) – A criminal charge was filed Friday against a former Delaware County jail officer who lost his job after a video showed him drawing a gun and threatening a man in November.

County Prosecutor Jeff Arnold said he filed the felony charge of pointing a firearm against Jerry Shaner in Circuit Court 4. No arrest warrant was issued for Shaner, who will appear in court for an initial hearing once a date is set. Arnold said that procedure is typical if no arrest was made at the scene.

A smartphone video by a witness showed Shaner on Nov. 7 placing his foot on the back of Kenny Watkins. The witness posted the video on Twitter. Shaner can be heard yelling “put your hands behind your back.” The incident occurred in a commercial area in the 600 block of Tillotson Avenue.

Muncie police, who responded to the scene, said Shaner’s daughter said a man was peeking into her windows and walking around her house. A neighbor said the man was trying to open car doors, according to police.

Watkins was not arrested.

Shaner was fired from his job at the jail in December.