MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA, Ind. — A hearing date for the delinquency petition filed against the convicted Noblesville West Middle School shooter on Tuesday has been set, following allegations he assaulted a public official at a juvenile detention facility last month.
Newly released court documents give further insight into the alleged battery incident that motivated local officials to request that a judge delay the convicted shooter's scheduled April release.
Court documents show on Monday, April 17, the Hamilton County prosecutor contacted investigators with the Indiana State Police Department to request an investigation into a battery incident that occurred at the Indiana Department of Corrections Juvenile Detention Center in Madison County a month prior.
On March 20, the convicted Noblesville West Middle School shooter, 17, allegedly punched an unidentified female Department of Corrections employee twice in the breast shortly before his expected release day of April 11.
The then 13-year-old shooter was sentenced to serve time at the facility until he turned 18 for opening fire and shooting a Noblesville West Middle School classmate and teacher on May 25, 2018.
The counselor who was reportedly punched by the convicted shooter that day was allegedly assigned to about 24 students inside the residential block called Echo Block, or E Block. She facilitates communication between parents and students, among other duties. She told investigators she frequently schedules appointments with students, and also allows impromptu drop-ins, according to court documents.
But on the day she was reportedly punched twice, the convicted shooter had tried to interrupt a meeting the employee scheduled with another student. The employee "did not have time to meet with both boys" and requested they both leave her office.
As she motioned to usher them out of her office, the teen allegedly "punched her twice in the breast" while simultaneously saying "I punched your boob" as he did so.
The counselor told investigators the motion was a "fist bump" motion and said it was not a "very hard punch." She believed another teen saw the incident and began to laugh.
Other counselors strongly advised her to write a formal report about the incident.
Witnesses who saw the incident allegedly also told investigators they overheard the convicted gunman state, 'I punched your boob [expletive]' and they also overheard him tell students "I touched her [expletive]."
The convicted shooter told investigators in later interviews he had accidentally touched the employee's breast, and denied making statements to other students about the incident.
He was later charged with a Level 6 felony charge of battery against a public safety official.
On April 19, prosecutors asked the judge to reconsider releasing the shooter due to a recent incident inside the juvenile prison.
Prosecutors said they had an investigator looking into the incident and needed more time to present the evidence.
The judge granted a continuance in the case and said the shooter will remain in the juvenile detention center for the time being.
The initial hearing for his delinquency petition is scheduled for May 23, 2023 at 2:30 p.m. in Hamilton County.