Surveillance Footage and Witnesses Helped Bloomington Police ID Suspects in Deadly Shooting

Staff report

Bloomington, Ind. – October 7, 2025

Surveillance video and witness statements played a crucial role in helping Bloomington Police identify and arrest two suspects connected to the Sept. 26 shooting death of a man on West Howe Street.

According to probable cause affidavits filed in Monroe Circuit Court, Stephen Dixon II, 26, has been charged with murder and unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, while Kaila Simms, 30, faces a Level 6 felony charge of neglect of a dependent for allowing her children to be around Dixon despite his involvement in violent crimes and possession of a gun.

Fatal Shooting on Howe Street

Police were called to the 300 block of West Howe Street around 9:43 p.m. on Sept. 26, where officers found a man fatally wounded by a single gunshot under his left arm. Witnesses told investigators that a vehicle sped toward the victim and his companions as they walked along the street. When the victim threw his bicycle at the passing car, the passenger got out and shot him before fleeing north on Madison Street.

The victim was later pronounced dead at IU Health Bloomington Hospital.

An investigator wrote in the PC, “From statements that I received from several officers on scene, it appears that [the victim] and others were walking west on Howe Street from Morton Street when a possible four door sedan came up really fast behind them. Due to [the victim] being in the road at this time, this possibly scared [him], at which time he got upset and threw his bicycle at the vehicle.”

The court document continues, “The bicycle did hit the vehicle, after being thrown, somewhere on the back driver’s side. At this point, the passenger exited the vehicle and approached Shawn with a gun already in hand. The passenger was very upset with Shawn and began pointing the firearm at him, while Shawn was trying to gather his property in the road. At some point in the confrontation, the passenger pointed the firearm at Shawn and fired one round striking Shawn on the left side of his body. After the passenger shot Shawn, he got back in the passenger seat of the vehicle and went north on Madison Street.”

Surveillance and Identification

Detectives reviewed surveillance footage from a nearby Circle K gas station, where witnesses identified two individuals seen on video as Dixon and Simms. The car in the footage—a gray 2015 Volkswagen Passat—matched the description of the vehicle used in the shooting and was registered to Simms. Police later located the same car with damage consistent with a bicycle strike.

Witnesses and associates also told detectives that Dixon had admitted to the shooting, describing details that had not been made public, including the bicycle being thrown and the victim “digging through his bag” just before being shot.

Arrest and Confession

On Oct. 6, after days of surveillance, officers arrested Dixon and Simms without incident at a gas station in Bedford. Dixon was armed with a 9mm handgun—the same weapon used in the fatal shooting. Both suspects admitted their involvement during interviews, according to court documents. Simms told police she was in the passenger seat when Dixon fired the gun and confirmed the same weapon was used in another earlier shooting into a trailer on North Willis Drive.

Neglect Charge

Simms faces the additional neglect charge for continuing to allow Dixon to drive her children to school and spend time with them while armed, even after the shootings. Police said she and Dixon had been hiding from law enforcement for days, sometimes staying in a garage with the children present. Simms also admitted to using methamphetamine during that period, allegedly under pressure from Dixon.

Ongoing Investigation

Both suspects are being held in the Monroe County Jail. Court filings show Dixon’s prior conviction for burglary made him ineligible to possess a firearm. Detectives said the case demonstrates how a combination of surveillance video, community tips, and witness cooperation helped piece together the timeline of the killing and the suspects’ movements in the days that followed.

The post Surveillance Footage and Witnesses Helped Bloomington Police ID Suspects in Deadly Shooting first appeared on The Bloomingtonian.