On April 25, 2017, the Fort Wayne, Indiana community lost Frank Lax Jr., a 65-year-old Black male resident who was formerly from South Bend. He was inside a residence located in the 4000 block of Robinwood Drive, situated between Rudisill Boulevard and Baxter Street. Authorities were dispatched to the home shortly before noon after receiving reports of a shooting incident involving the man and a family member.
When police and emergency personnel arrived at the scene, they discovered Lax
suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital in critical condition, but despite medical intervention, he succumbed to his injuries later that day. Investigators determined that Lax had been handling a firearm with his son when the weapon discharged, striking him. The specific dynamics of the incident suggested that the shooting was unintentional during the handling of the gun.
The Allen County Coroner’s Office subsequently conducted an autopsy and ruled the manner of death as a homicide, a medical classification indicating that the death resulted from the actions of another person. This ruling marked the tenth homicide in Allen County for that year. However, the designation by the coroner did not equate to a criminal charge of murder in this instance.
Following a review of the evidence, law enforcement officials concluded that the shooting was accidental. Consequently, prosecutors did not pursue criminal charges against the son involved in the tragedy. There were no arrests made in connection with the case, and the matter did not proceed to a trial, closing the investigation as a fatal accident rather than a criminal act.
