In the quiet city of New Albany, Indiana, a domestic dispute on the morning of October 21, 2024, escalated into a tragedy that claimed the life of 30-year-old Johntae Trumbo. A Black male, Trumbo was found with multiple gunshot wounds in the front yard of a residence on West 8th Street. He was rushed to the University of Louisville Hospital, but succumbed to his injuries.
The suspected shooter, 17-year-old Braylon Livers, remained at the scene and was taken into custody by the New Albany
Police Department. The investigation was later handed over to the Indiana State Police. Livers alleged that he shot Trumbo in self-defense, claiming that Trumbo had assaulted both him and his mother, who was Trumbo's girlfriend. Livers told investigators he believed Trumbo was reaching for a gun, but no weapon was found on Trumbo's person.
Further investigation revealed that Livers had discarded two of his own firearms over a fence in an attempt to hide them from law enforcement. He was initially charged with possession of a handgun by a serious violent felon, obstruction of justice, and false informing. Due to the severity of the crime, the Floyd County Prosecutor's Office made the decision to charge Livers as an adult. The case is expected to proceed through the adult court system, where Livers will face the consequences of the events that transpired on that fatal October morning.
