In the early morning hours of October 7, 2018, the life of 40-year-old Tomara Agnew, a Black female from South Bend, Indiana, was tragically cut short. The incident unfolded around 5:20 a.m. at the Anderson Apartments, where a heated verbal argument escalated to fatal violence. The man identified as the shooter was Anthony Patton Jr., the boyfriend of Tomara's daughter. In a sudden and violent turn of events, Patton fired multiple shots, striking Tomara three times.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Immediately following the shooting, Patton attempted to escape in an SUV. As police officers arrived and tried to stop his vehicle, he opened fire on them. The officers returned fire, though it was initially unclear if Patton had been hit. A police pursuit ensued, but Patton managed to evade capture, disappearing near Bulla. This prompted an extensive search in the River Park neighborhood, but he remained at large for a time. Authorities described the 23-year-old suspect as armed and dangerous and released his description to the public. Patton had a history of criminal activity, having been in and out of jail multiple times since 2013 and had been released from jail in November 2017 after serving time for theft and possession of a handgun without a license. Family members indicated that the argument between Tomara and Patton was related to domestic disputes.
Anthony Patton Jr. was eventually apprehended and faced justice for the killing of Tomara Agnew. He was charged with her murder and other related offenses. During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Patton admitted to shooting Tomara twice in the chest during their argument. In February 2020, his legal battle concluded when he was sentenced to 50 years in prison for her shooting death. The case highlighted the devastating consequences of domestic violence, leaving a family to mourn the loss of a mother and grandmother.
