In the autumn of 2016, the life of 18-year-old Shaolin Tiriq-Arik Newsom was tragically cut short in Anderson, Indiana. A Black / African American male, Newsom was known by friends and family as 'Tiriq' and was remembered for his goofy personality, big smile, and laugh. He was a recent graduate of Anderson High School, class of 2016, and was looking forward to the birth of his son.
He had a passion for music, writing and performing around Anderson with his friends in the Band Klan rap crew, sometimes using the name 'BandmanRiq'. He was described as a young man full of life who enjoyed giving to others and was fiercely protective of those he loved.
On the evening of October 27, 2016, a dispute that began over a Facebook post escalated into deadly violence. An argument over a quiz taken by Newsom's girlfriend and subsequent comments led to a confrontation. Newsom was shot multiple times, twice in the chest and once in the back, outside a home on the 1800 block of West 21st Street. He was rushed to St. Vincent Anderson Regional Hospital but ultimately succumbed to his injuries. The news of his death sent shockwaves through the community, with friends leaving spray-painted tributes on the street where he was killed.
The investigation into the shooting led to the arrests of two teenagers. Jaylon S. Brown, who was 17 at the time, was charged as an adult with the murder of Shaolin Newsom. Prosecutors alleged that Brown was the one who shot Newsom following the social media dispute. Another teenager, Tyrone Jones, was charged with assisting a criminal, accused of driving Brown to the location of the shooting.
In November 2017, Tyrone Jones was sentenced for his role in the incident. He received a five-year sentence, with two years to be served in a location determined by the continuum of sanctions program and the remaining three years on probation. Jaylon S. Brown's trial for the murder charge was scheduled to take place in Madison Circuit Court.
