On the afternoon of July 14, 2020, a violent and tragic series of events unfolded near a cemetery in Brownsburg, Indiana, resulting in the loss of life. Seth Robertson, a 36-year-old White male, was working with a colleague at the Brownsburg Cemetery located near North Grant Street and 56th Street. Their workday was abruptly interrupted when a vehicle arrived at the scene and the driver, identified as 22-year-old Joshua Hayes, exited and launched an unprovoked attack.
Hayes, who was Black, opened fire on the two workers, forcing them to flee for their lives in different directions to seek cover from the gunfire.
The assailant focused his initial pursuit on Robertson, chasing him toward the intersection of 56th and Grant Streets. Despite Robertson's attempt to escape the violence, Hayes caught up to him and fired multiple shots, fatally wounding him at the scene. After killing Robertson, the gunman turned his attention to the second cemetery worker. A chaotic foot chase ensued through a nearby residential neighborhood and eventually spilled back onto the public roadway. Hayes continued to fire his weapon at the fleeing man, eventually catching up to him in the westbound lane of 56th Street, where a physical struggle began between the two.
As the altercation continued in the street, a passing motorist stopped at a traffic light witnessed the unfolding assault. The motorist, who was legally licensed to carry a firearm, observed Hayes pinning the surviving victim to the ground and pointing a gun at his head. Recognizing the immediate threat to the worker's life, the driver intervened and fired at Hayes, striking him. The intervention ended the attack, and Hayes was pronounced dead at the scene. The second victim, though traumatized and involved in a physical struggle, survived the incident and was treated for injuries before being released.
Law enforcement officials investigated the circumstances surrounding the shooting and determined that the attack appeared to be random, with no prior connection found between Hayes and the victims. While investigators noted the racial difference between the shooter and the victims, they concluded there was no evidence to suggest the crime was racially motivated, instead pointing toward potential mental illness on the part of the aggressor. The Hendricks County Prosecutor’s Office reviewed the case and decided that no charges would be filed against the armed citizen, ruling that the use of lethal force was justified in the defense of a third party.
