Man arrested for attempted murder after shooting would-be thief during car break-in

INDIANAPOLIS — An 18-year-old is in jail after he was accused of attempted murder. This comes after a shooting in Lawrence that critically wounded a 15-year-old during an attempted car break-in.

Just before 3:30 a.m. on Sunday, Lawrence police were called to an apartment complex near 56th Street and I-465 by 18-year-old Anthony Coleman Jr. Coleman reportedly confessed he shot a 15-year-old who had just broken into his girlfriend’s Kia.

The suspect told police walked out of the front door of an apartment building and saw multiple young men breaking into his girlfriend’s car.

Coleman then fired eight shots, critically wounding one of the would-be thieves.

The suspect’s mother doesn’t understand why her son was arrested.

“I feel like he cooperated with police. He stayed on scene. He should (have) been released on the grounds (that) it was self-defense,” said Coleman’s mother.

Coleman’s mother didn’t want to be identified for fear of retaliation. But according to court records, her son told police he thought the teen he shot was reaching for a weapon. Coleman said he feared for his life, but was still arrested for attempted murder.

“He was forced to make a life or death decision. It’s not just a miscarriage of justice, but systemic racism in action,” said Coleman’s mother. “I feel like, according to God’s law and Indiana statute, he had the right to protect himself.”

For their part, Lawrence police claim Coleman was standing near the doorway, about 20 to 25 yards away from his girlfriend’s Kia, when he shot into the dark across the parking lot.

The gunfire shattered the back window of a gold Nissan which was parked next to the Kia.

“Shooting eight shots would not justify trying to protect an unoccupied vehicle in the state of Indiana,” said attorney Mario Massillamany.

Massillamany isn’t connected to the case, but says while Indiana law doesn’t allow people to use deadly force to prevent an unoccupied car from being stolen, the claim of self-defense could still be made.

“That’s the argument I would make, that he was trying to protect himself and not the vehicle.  Because when you’re trying to protect yourself, you can use deadly force. When you’re trying to protect an unoccupied vehicle, you cannot use deadly force,” said Massillamany.

The suspect is being held on a $50,000 bond pending an initial hearing later this week.

Ultimately, it will be up to the prosecutor’s office whether or not to file formal charges in the case.