INDIANAPOLIS — An Instacart driver found herself in a terrifying situation when she said a man pulled out a rifle and opened fire on her.
It happened Feb. 17 on the northeast side of Indianapolis, near Arlington Avenue and East 56th Street.
The woman told police she was trying to deliver an order but was lost as she could not see the addresses on the buildings.
The woman told police that as she was turning around, she saw a man point a gun in the air and fire. She told the man then pointed the gun at her car and shot out both tires on the driver's side of the car.
"I would have never guessed in a million years someone would shoot at me for delivering groceries," said the Instacart driver Kelly McAllister.
McAllister drove away and called police.
"It still bothers me, because I was just trying to put it together, like why? It’s so random. The randomness of it was scary," McAllister said.
Officers went to the location and found spent shells on the ground.
Further investigation led them to De Jae Radford as a suspect. According to court documents, officers searched Radford's home and found a gun matching the shells at the crime scene. Officers also said they found another gun and suspected drugs.
When questioned by investigators, Radford allegedly claimed he was protecting his family the night he shot the Instacart driver's tires out. He told them his car had recently been stolen and that he was having trouble with his neighbor.
Court documents show Radford told investigators he saw the woman's car driving slowly as his car was outside warming up. He said he was concerned, so he went out to protect himself and his family. Radford claimed the woman pointed a gun at him, so he shot at her car.
"I've never owned a gun in my life," McAllister said. "I never grew up around guns, none of that."
Formal charges against Radford are pending.