In an apartment on the northeast side of Indianapolis, a life was cut tragically short on a Monday evening in May. Austin Bunn, a 19-year-old male, was inside a residence at 7800 Carlton Arms Drive when he sustained a gunshot wound. The incident occurred just before 8 p.m. on May 8, 2023. Emergency services were dispatched to the scene, and Bunn was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition.
Despite the efforts of medical professionals, he succumbed to his injuries the following day.
The investigation into the shooting quickly identified all individuals involved. The person responsible for the fatal shot was determined to be Austin Bunn's roommate, 21-year-old Eric Salinas. At the time of the incident, Salinas was employed as a jail officer with the Hancock County Sheriff's Department. According to reports, the shooting was unintentional. Salinas told investigators that he was in the process of handing his service weapon to Bunn, who was going to clean it for him. He stated that he had removed the magazine but was unaware that a bullet remained in the chamber. When he pulled the trigger, the gun discharged, striking Bunn.
Following an investigation by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Eric Salinas was arrested and faced a charge of reckless homicide, a Level 5 felony. Salinas had been placed on administrative leave from his position as a jail officer following the shooting. He later surrendered to the authorities. The case was filed in Marion County Superior Court. The tragic incident highlighted the devastating consequences of mishandling a firearm, forever altering the lives of two young men.
