In the early morning hours of September 8, 2014, a fatal encounter unfolded near a Chase bank branch on the Westside of Indianapolis. Jason Pedro, a 24-year-old man, was shot and killed around 6:15 a.m. in a Dodge Dakota pickup truck at the bank's ATM located near Michigan Street and King Avenue. The incident took place directly across from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department's West District offices.
The man responsible for the shooting, James L.
Schlenkert, who was 27 years old at the time, claimed that he acted in self-defense. Schlenkert told investigators that Pedro had attempted to rob him, prompting him to fire his weapon. Initially, the police released Schlenkert from custody on the same day as the shooting, citing a lack of evidence to detain him further. However, the Marion County Coroner's office later ruled Pedro's death a homicide, confirming he died from multiple gunshots to the head.
The case was then presented to a grand jury. Conflicting narratives of the event emerged during the investigation. Schlenkert maintained his self-defense story. In contrast, Jason Pedro's mother, Cynthia, offered a different account. She claimed that her son was attempting to flee when Schlenkert obtained a gun. She stated that her son was shot multiple times as he ran and, after he fell to the ground, was shot three more times in the head. She argued that once Schlenkert had the weapon, the situation was no longer a matter of self-defense.
Following the grand jury proceedings, the details of which remain sealed under Indiana law, James L. Schlenkert was indicted on a charge of murder for the death of Jason Pedro. A jury trial for Schlenkert was scheduled to begin on February 23, 2015. The case highlighted the complexities of self-defense claims, especially when the evidence and testimonies present contradictory versions of the events that transpired.
