In the early morning hours of Saturday, July 15, 2023, a gathering of brothers in South Bend, Indiana, took a tragic turn, leaving one dead and the other facing criminal charges. Michael Kotowski, a 46-year-old Caucasian male, was shot and killed at his home in the 1700 block of East Bowman Street. The events of that night unfolded as Michael and a friend were working on cars in his garage, sharing food and drinks.
The evening took a fateful turn with the arrival of Michael's older
brother, 48-year-old Steven Kotowski, who brought more alcohol. A witness at the scene later told police that while the brothers generally had a good relationship, Steven had a tendency to become 'out of control' and aggressive when he drank excessively. At one point, Steven allegedly handed his gun to the witness and urged him to fire it. The witness refused, and Michael intervened, telling his brother to put the weapon away. This unsettling behavior prompted the witness to leave just after midnight.
Sometime after the witness's departure, a neighbor reported hearing two men arguing, with one asking, 'you going to get your weapon now?' Seconds later, the sound of gunshots pierced the night. The neighbor, after retrieving his own firearm, went outside to see Steven standing over Michael's body. Another witness reported seeing a bald man, later identified as Steven, on top of a man with hair, believed to be Michael, slapping him as if trying to wake him. Shortly after, Steven allegedly went inside the house and admitted, 'I shot him.'
When South Bend Police arrived at the scene around 12:30 a.m., they found Michael Kotowski with an apparent gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital but ultimately succumbed to his injuries. The Violent Crimes Unit of the South Bend Police Department launched an investigation that quickly led to the arrest of Steven Kotowski. He was subsequently charged with reckless homicide and is being held at the St. Joseph County Jail.
