A great-grandfather was shot and killed by police outside a courthouse in Indiana. He was armed and may have been there to confront the man who is reportedly charged with the deaths of his great-grandchildren.
Videos by Suggest
Per a report by Fox 59, deputies shot and killed 65-year-old Mark Vawter outside the Hendricks County Courthouse on May 5. Officers were reportedly escorting inmates into the building at the time. Vawter allegedly drew a handgun, ‘firing at least one shot.’ Two officers returned fire, killing Vawter at the scene. No officers or inmates were hurt during the incident. Per Sheriff’s Department policy, both officers, Deputy Zachary Emmitt and Deputy Nathan Phillips, are now on administrative leave.
A report by WTHR explains that S’Doni Pettis was due to appear at the courthouse that day. Pettis is the suspect charged in the crash that killed Vawter’s great-grandchildren. Ares 3 and his sister, Iris, who was just 2 months old. Fox 59 explains that Pettis allegedly tried to escape from police in a stolen car and crashed into a Ford Explorer with the two children inside. The vehicle burst into flames, claiming their lives. Pettis is charged with a list of offenses, including auto theft, causing death when operating a motor vehicle with a Schedule 1 or controlled substance, and three counts of resisting law enforcement.
Pettis Was Not At The Hendricks County Courthouse At The Time
The report by WTHR explains that Pettis was due at the courthouse on May 5. However, that date was rescheduled for early June at some point last week, so he was not present. Per People, Prosecutors believe Vawter was there to shoot and kill Pettis.
In light of the incident, Prosecutors have requested that all of Pettis’ future court appearances be attended remotely. They also ask authorities to restrict public access to his court records. When speaking about the request, Brad Banks, a defense attorney, told WTHR, “In these instances, they are rare. We don’t see things like this happen very often.” Banks explained that inmates are usually chained together, so incidents like this endanger their lives as well as the lives of accompanying officers. He also explained that the sheriff’s department never reveals the exact time they will move inmates.