In the small town of Kendallville, Indiana, a young life was cut short on November 14, 2018, when 18-year-old Justin Rodman, a male, was fatally shot. The incident unfolded in the early afternoon, just before 1:30 p.m., at a duplex on Sargent Street. Emergency services were dispatched to the scene following reports of gunfire. Upon their arrival, they discovered Rodman in the entryway of the building, suffering from a gunshot wound to his torso.
Despite the efforts of police officers, firefighters, and paramedics who worked to save him for approximately 30 minutes, Justin Rodman was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation that followed painted a clearer picture of the events that transpired inside the residence. Authorities believe the shooting occurred in an upstairs apartment where Rodman was present with several other individuals. After being shot, he made his way downstairs, where he ultimately collapsed. Interviews with the witnesses who were inside the home at the time led to the swift identification of a suspect.
Within a short time, the Kendallville Police Department, with assistance from the Noble County Sheriff's Department and the Indiana State Police, made an arrest in connection with the shooting. Logan Dewitt, a 20-year-old from Kendallville, was taken into custody. A search of the home uncovered a firearm that investigators believed to be the weapon used in the incident. Following the initial investigation and interviews, Logan Dewitt was preliminarily charged with Criminal Recklessness While Possessing a Deadly Weapon. The case highlighted the tragic consequences of gun violence and left a community mourning the loss of a young man. The investigation continued after the initial arrest, with the official cause and manner of death to be determined at a later date.
