Four Arrested in Kirkwood Avenue Assault That Left Homeless Man Injured; Community Raises Nearly $9,500 for Victim’s Dental Care

Staff report

Bloomington, Ind. – October 7, 2025

Bloomington police have arrested four suspects — including a juvenile — in connection with the September 26 assault on East Kirkwood Avenue that left a 60-year-old unhoused man with serious facial injuries and three missing teeth.

The latest arrest came when Blake Mathew Bell, 19, of Nashville, Indiana, was charged with battery resulting in serious bodily injury, a Level 5 felony. According to a probable cause affidavit filed the Bloomington Police Department, Bell was identified as the man in a white puffy coat who allegedly struck Robert “Bobby” Ballard in the back of the head during a verbal altercation that escalated into violence near the intersection of Kirkwood and Indiana avenues.

Police said Ballard was attacked by a group of young men shortly before midnight. He was found bleeding from the mouth and later determined to have lost three teeth, with additional injuries to his shoulder, nose, and head.

Initially, Ballard refused medical treatment and declined to cooperate with police, leading to the temporary release of two men questioned that night — Avery Williams, 25, and Khalil Morris, 21, both of Bloomington. After Ballard gave a detailed statement to investigators on September 29 and police reviewed video evidence showing him attempting to walk away before being punched, all three were charged with battery resulting in serious bodily injury.

On Thursday, police confirmed that a 16-year-old male was also taken into custody in connection with the attack, bringing the total number of arrests to four. The teen was detained at a juvenile detention center, according to Bloomington Police Captain Ryan Pedigo.

Pedigo said officers first arrested Williams and Morris on September 29, and later that same day located and arrested the 16-year-old suspect. Bell was charged separately after investigators reviewed additional witness statements and video footage.

Community Response and Fundraiser

The assault prompted an outpouring of support for Ballard, a longtime member of Bloomington’s unhoused community. A GoFundMe campaign titled “Help Bobby Get Dental Care After Assault” has raised $9,482 from nearly 250 donors since it launched on September 28.

The fundraiser’s organizer, identified as A.T., said the money will be used to cover dental surgery, prosthetics, and related medical expenses.

The post Four Arrested in Kirkwood Avenue Assault That Left Homeless Man Injured; Community Raises Nearly $9,500 for Victim’s Dental Care first appeared on The Bloomingtonian.