On the evening of February 26, 2020, a tragic series of events unfolded in Rockport, Indiana, resulting in the untimely death of 18-year-old male Zane Aaron Lee. The incident began when Lee and his girlfriend were in a vehicle near the intersection of Seminary and South 9th Street. They observed a physical altercation taking place on a nearby porch between a young woman and her ex-boyfriend.
Witnessing the male aggressor striking the female, Lee made the decision to step out of his vehicle and intervene in an attempt to stop the assault and assist the woman.
The situation quickly escalated when the aggressor, identified as 19-year-old Joseph Allen Petry, produced a handgun. According to reports, Petry initially fired two shots into the air before turning the weapon toward Lee. As Lee attempted to flee the scene for his safety, Petry fired again, striking him. Emergency responders from the Spencer County Sheriff’s Department, Rockport City Police, and Indiana State Police arrived shortly after receiving reports of shots fired around 8:30 p.m. Despite life-saving efforts administered by officers and Spencer County EMS, Lee succumbed to his injuries.
Joseph Petry was arrested the following morning and initially faced a murder charge for the shooting. During the subsequent legal proceedings, it was revealed that the altercation had stemmed from a dispute over a social media post. In June 2021, nearly a year and a half after the shooting, Petry reached a plea agreement with prosecutors. He pleaded guilty to a count of voluntary manslaughter and a separate count of pointing a firearm. Consequently, Petry was sentenced to twenty-four years in prison for the manslaughter charge and an additional one year for the firearm offense.
