INDIANAPOLIS– Court records reveal what led to a shooting at Castleton Square Mall on Friday, Feb. 17. The shooting ended with the quick arrest of 18-year-old Curtis Wilson for criminal recklessness.
According to the affidavit, Wilson was walking into the mall with his brother when they got into a dispute with three strangers near a south entrance.
Wilson’s brother told police the pair had gone to the mall to return shoes to Foot Locker when they began yelling with three other men in the hallway.
Surveillance video allegedly shows Wilson grab his brother’s gun, follow the men to the entrance and start shooting.
The men returned fire which resulted in Wilson being shot in the thigh and arrested.
“I didn’t think this was déjà vu. I thought, ‘What do you expect to happen?’” said Eddie Smith Sr.
The shooting took place just over six weeks after a 16-year-old was killed and Eddie’s son was wounded in the mall parking lot in January.
Eddie, who serves as a pastor at Tuxedo Park Baptist Church, feels like the delay in justice in his son’s case sent a bad message to the community that violence at the mall would be tolerated.
“If it’s okay to shoot in one incident and nothing happens and it falls off the radar, then what do you expect?” said Smith Sr. “Malls are going to start turning to the OK Corral.”
While police made a quick arrest in Friday’s shooting, Eddie’s family is still waiting for justice.
“It’s aggravating this case has been caught up in political maneuvering,” said Smith Sr.
Court records show a special prosecutor from Madison County has been appointed to decide if criminal charges should be filed in the homicide after prosecutor Ryan Mears stepped aside because of a conflict of interest involving the January shooter.
“I’m not happy that it seems like the buck is being passed. I’m not happy with how the case has been handled at all,” said Smith Sr. “The special prosecutor had to be appointed because prosecutor Mears recused himself because the shooter is involved in another murder case with him.”
As for Wilson’s arrest, according to the affidavit police found a handgun next to Wilson on the scene.
Police claim Wilson’s brother admitted Wilson “went over the edge” and grabbed the gun while his brother told him “no.”
The three other men involved in the shooting Friday all ran away but left their Jeep SUV at the mall parking lot which was secured by police.
Wilson is being held on preliminary charges of criminal recklessness.
There is no timeline for when a charging decision will be made for the January homicide.
A spokesperson for the owners of Castleton Square Mall issued the following statement on Friday:
“Thanks to the rapid response of our armed K9 team, the suspects were quickly detained, a weapon was quickly retrieved and rendered safe, and first aid was administered. We are cooperating fully with IMPD in their investigation, including providing video surveillance to help identify any additional persons involved. While the investigation is ongoing, preliminary reports indicate that this incident was the result of an isolated dispute between two groups. There is no ongoing threat to the public and IMPD will maintain an increased presence at the mall throughout the weekend.”
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