(Michigan City, IN) - An arrest has been made for a fatal shooting that occurred before a large crowd outside a Michigan City gas station.
Quashawn Jenkins, 25, of Michigan City is charged in LaPorte Superior Court 1 with murder, felony murder and Level 2 felony robbery.
Jordan Rose, 20, also of Michigan City died from a gunshot wound to the chest delivered on July 12 outside the BP gas station at 1302 E. Michigan Boulevard.
According to court documents, both men were among an estimated 400 people earlier that night forced by police out of Pullman Park along U.S 12 due to complaints about disruptive behavior and some of them having guns.
A short time later, many of the people moved to the area of Holliday and Grace streets where responding officers had water bottles and fireworks thrown at them and their vehicles. Several individuals were also blocking traffic and refusing to move out of the roadway, police said.
A number of arrests were made before police responded to the gas station about 1:30 a.m. in response to the shooting.
According to court documents, the crowd about half of its original size had been there for over an hour before Jenkins punched Jordan. After Jordan fell to the ground, Jenkins took the victim’s gun and shot him with it, police said.
Police said Jordan was taken by ambulance but died at the hospital about one hour later.
Jenkins, who was taken into custody on Sunday, was being held in the La Porte County Jail on $1 million bond.
During his initial court hearing on Tuesday, a hearing was scheduled August 8 for the judge to decide the defendant’s request for a lower bond.
Jenkins was also given a December 1 trial date.
LaPorte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan said murder is when someone acts with intent to take a life. Felony murder is when a killing happens during a crime even if the death was by accident or not intentional.
“Things as we allege got a little hectic and, unfortunately, involved the death of a young person,” he said.
Both charges carry a potential sentencing range of 45 to 65 years.
