MUNCIE, Ind. — A Delaware County judge has sentenced a 23-year-old Muncie man in the deadly shooting of a 19-year-old Marion man near the Ball State campus in August 2022.
The judge sentenced Malek Williams to 70 years in prison for the fatal shooting of Que' Aundre Johnson near University Avenue and Dill Street. Williams was sentenced to 55 years on the murder conviction and 15 years for the firearm enhancement.
A jury deliberated for three hours in July before finding Williams guilty of murder.
Around 12:40 a.m. on Aug. 20, 2022, officers were called to the restaurant area just east of campus on a report of a shooting. Officers found Johnson with several gunshot wounds. He was taken to IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
According to court documents, surveillance video shows Johnson walking toward Brothers Bar & Grill when Williams stops him. The two talk for just over a minute, when the court documents said Williams can be seen pulling a gun and then shooting Johnson. Video shows Johnson trying to run away as Williams chases him and continues firing.
The court documents said 13 shell casings were recovered from the shooting and that Johnson was hit seven times.
According to court documents, Johnson was dating the ex-girlfriend of Williams and that might have been what led to the confrontation and shooting. Williams' ex-girlfriend identified him in the surveillance video as the shooter, according to the court documents.
(NOTE: The above video is from a previous report on the shooting.)
After the conviction, Delaware County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Ramirez said, "Although Que'Aundre Johnson is no longer with us, hopefully this provides some justice to his family and friends."
Prosecuting Attorney Eric Hoffman also issued a statement following the verdict: "I am glad the jury saw through the defendant’s ridiculous claim of self-defense. You do not get to chase a person down, repeatedly shoot them in the back and then claim self-defense. That defies not only the law but common sense."