2nd man charged in July shooting at massive Indiana block party that killed 1, injured 17
Aug 31, 2023, 6:58 PM
MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) — A prosecutor Thursday charged the second man arrested in a July shooting at a massive block party in central Indiana that left one person dead and 17 others wounded.
Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman announced he charged Justin E. Bonner, 29, of Muncie with unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon.
Bonner was arrested by Muncie police on Monday. Online court records did not list an attorney for Bonner who might comment on the allegations against him.
His arrest was the second in the July 30 shooting, which occurred as hundreds of people were attending the block party in Muncie, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) northeast of Indianapolis. Joseph E. Bonner III, 30, was killed and 18 others were injured, including a woman who was run over by a car while running from the scene.
The Bonners are brothers.
An affidavit states Justin Bonner told police he fired a handgun at the other man charged in the case, John L. Vance Jr., 36, after seeing Vance shoot his brother.
On Aug. 1, police announced the arrest of Vance in the shooting. He faces two counts of aggravated battery and criminal recklessness and one count of possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon.
The shooting occurred as police were calling the venue’s owner to shut down the gathering, authorities have said. Joseph Bonner was among those attending the party, police said.
