On February 10, 2016, a violent confrontation in Richmond, Indiana, claimed the lives of two men, including White Charles Atkinson, a resident of Neosho, Missouri. The incident unfolded on a Wednesday night in the 1800 block of Industries Road, near a former Coca-Cola facility. Police responded to the scene around 9:15 p.m. following reports of gunfire.
Upon arrival, officers discovered a chaotic scene where two separate groups had arrived in vehicles before the situation escalated into a deadly exchange of bullets.
Investigators determined that Atkinson and a local man, 46-year-old Virgus Browning Jr. of Richmond, had been in separate cars when the altercation began. Authorities stated that for reasons unknown, the two men opened fire on one another. Atkinson sustained fatal injuries during the shootout and was pronounced dead at the scene. Browning was also struck by gunfire and was transported to Reid Hospital for emergency treatment, but he later succumbed to his wounds.
The Richmond Police Department quickly moved to secure the area and interview witnesses. While no additional suspects were sought in connection with the homicides, police did make one arrest at the scene. Lori Clark, a 40-year-old woman from Dayton, Ohio, was taken into custody. She was not charged with the shootings but was arrested for possession of methamphetamine. Detectives concluded that the two deceased men were the only shooters involved, and with both individuals dead, the investigation into the homicides was effectively closed without further pursuit of murder charges.
