On the evening of December 28, 2014, emergency responders were called to an apartment complex in the 3100 block of East 10th Street in Indianapolis, Indiana. The incident occurred around 10:22 p.m. involving 21-year-old Dequan R. Cummings, a Black male who had entered a residence in the area. The situation escalated quickly into a violent confrontation between Cummings and the occupants of the apartment.
According to reports from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, the events unfolded when Cummings broke into the apartment. Once inside, he reportedly acquired a firearm belonging to the male resident living there. A struggle ensued between Cummings, the male resident, and the resident's pregnant fiancée. During the physical altercation, the couple managed to wrestle the weapon away from Cummings.
The confrontation ended when the resident used the recovered firearm to shoot Cummings. Police and medical personnel arrived at the scene shortly after the shooting, but Cummings succumbed to his injuries. Investigating officers characterized the event as a robbery attempt that resulted in a fatal shooting, with the residents acting in defense of their home and themselves.
Following the investigation, the death was recorded as a homicide resulting from the home invasion. Given the circumstances of self-defense described by authorities, there were no public reports of arrests or charges filed against the residents involved in the shooting. Cummings was later laid to rest at New Crown Cemetery, leaving behind two children and a large extended family.
