In the early morning hours of August 4, 2019, a seemingly minor incident inside an Indianapolis restaurant escalated into a fatal shooting that claimed the life of 32-year-old Joseph Aikens. Aikens, a Black/African American man, was at Big Dan's Hamburgers in the 5900 block of Massachusetts Avenue with his girlfriend and friends when the tragic chain of events began.
What started as a simple bump between Aikens and another man, Jamar Myers, while in line, quickly devolved into a physical
altercation. A shoving match between the two men inside the restaurant prompted an acquaintance of Aikens to punch Myers. Restaurant employees intervened and moved everyone outside. The conflict, however, was far from over.
Once in the parking lot, Myers retrieved a handgun from a van and re-engaged with Aikens. The two exchanged punches before Myers fatally shot Aikens at close range. Aikens attempted to flee but soon collapsed near his vehicle. During the confrontation, Myers also sustained a gunshot wound, though the circumstances of his injury were not immediately clear.
The entire incident was captured on multiple security cameras, which provided crucial evidence for investigators. The footage clearly showed Myers with a handgun and firing at Aikens. Based on this evidence, Jamar Myers was arrested and subsequently charged with murder for the death of Joseph Aikens.
