A verbal disagreement inside the University Park Mall in Mishawaka, Indiana, on the afternoon of September 12, 2020, escalated into a fatal shooting that claimed the life of 23-year-old Delaney Crosby. The male victim was pronounced dead at the scene from apparent gunshot wounds. Mishawaka Police responded to reports of the shooting at approximately 2:46 PM, and the investigation was later taken over by the St.
Joseph County Metro Homicide Unit.
The incident began as a verbal altercation between Crosby and a group of individuals. According to court documents and witness statements, Crosby allegedly exchanged words with the group, and the argument continued as they walked through the mall. At one point, Crosby is said to have flinched at a member of the other group, though he reportedly did not display a weapon. In response, a young Black male in an orange hooded sweatshirt pulled a handgun from a black backpack and fired multiple shots at Crosby, who then fell to the ground. The shooter and his companions fled the scene.
Investigators quickly identified the suspect as 21-year-old Dazhon Howard of South Bend. Surveillance footage from the mall and videos shared on social media captured the incident, aiding in his identification. The St. Joseph County Prosecutor's Office formally charged Howard with murder and a firearm sentencing enhancement, and an arrest warrant was issued.
Dazhon Howard's trial commenced in March 2022 but ultimately ended in a hung jury. Following the mistrial, a plea agreement was reached. On May 4, 2022, Howard pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of voluntary manslaughter, admitting that he had killed Delaney Crosby while acting under sudden heat. On June 7, 2022, a judge sentenced Howard to 17 and a half years in prison for his role in the shooting.
