INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis man has been charged after he went to a park on the north side of Indianapolis and shot multiple firearms into the White River.
According to an affidavit for probable cause, filed Monday in Marion County, 20-year-old Damian Shirrell was charged with one count of criminal recklessness, a Level 6 felony, in relation to the incident.
In the early hours of Sept. 30, an officer were dispatched to the area of E 73rd and Fitch Ave. on a shots fired call. The documents stated that the caller said that 11 to 12 shots were heard fired in the area, possibly coming from Ravenswood Overlook Park.
When the officer came to the scene, they heard multiple shots fired towards the park. The documents said that as the officer waited for backup, they heard an “engine rev” and saw a Chevrolet Impala come from around the corner at a high rate of speed. The vehicle slowed down and stopped after an additional officer arrived on scene and pulled the vehicle over.
The driver, identified as Shirrell, was arrested. The documents stated that Shirrell admitted to shooting multiple firearms at the park. Shirrell reportedly told officers he “did not want to pay to shoot them at a gun range.”
“Mr. Shirrell said he had already paid a lot of money to buy his guns and ammo, therefore he did not want to spend any additional funds at the range,” the documents said. “Mr. Shirrell said he was aware that he was shooting in a residential area, but he did not shoot into any houses. Mr. Shirrell further stated that he only shot into the lake.”
Shirrell told law enforcement that he had come to the Ravenswood area on a date. The documents said they were at the park and he took the person he was on the date with to their home in the area. Shirrell then returned to the park because “he decided that he wanted to shoot two firearms that he had in his vehicle.”
“Mr. Shirrell stated that he was aware of the houses in close proximity to himself due to it being a residential area and knew it was against the law to fire any firearm in such area,” the documents said. “(Law enforcement officials) asked Mr. Shirrell his reasoning for firing both of his firearms to which Mr. Shirrell replied that he was just being ‘young and dumb.'”
After Shirrell was arrested, law enforcement found several shelling casings and a live round located in the grass near the White River. Shirrell said he owned both firearms, telling law enforcement that one was a Glock, model 32, .357 SIG and the other being a Diamondback, .380 handgun.
According to court documents, Shirrell’s initial hearing in this case is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Oct. 16.
