INDIANAPOLIS — The suspect charged with murder in a deadly road rage shooting on the south side of Indianapolis allegedly told police he regrets doing it, didn't mean to do it and was trying to keep everyone safe.
Andre Briski, 24, of Indianapolis, is facing a murder charge. Shawna Rowland, 23, of Franklin, is facing charges for assisting a criminal in a murder and obstruction of justice.
Indiana State Police troopers responded to a report of shots fired at a car around 1:15 p.m. Wednesday, May 1 on Interstate 65, near Southport Road.
Police said 35-year-old Ryan Hawkins was shot and ejected from his car before the car went into a pond. Medics pronounced Hawkins dead at the scene, and the Marion County Coroner's Office ruled his death as a homicide due to a gunshot wound to his neck.
According to an arrest report, Indiana State Police detectives spoke with two people who said they were in the suspect's car and said Briski fired the shots.
Both people told detectives Briski was driving northbound on I-65 when a car was following them too closely. According to the people in the Briski's car, the driver of the other car gave hand gestures toward the suspect before speeding off.
According to the arrest report, Rowland told the Briski to speed up and follow the other car. One of the people told detectives that Briski asked him to get a gun out of the center console, which he complied because he said he didn't know how to handle the situation and was scared.
Both people told detectives that Briski then fired multiple shots at the other driver.
They said Briski then allegedly exited onto Southport Road, stopped the vehicle, got out and ran.
One day after the shooting, detectives got a call from the Johnson County Dispatch Center after they got a call about a Greenwood woman wanting to turn herself in for her role in the road rage shooting.
Rowland allegedly told investigators she would like to cooperate but wanted an attorney. Police then took her to the Marion County Jail on preliminary charges of assisting a criminal and obstruction of justice.
The night after the shooting, ISP learned Briski checked into a medical facility on the east side of Indianapolis. Troopers arrived and took him into custody.
Detectives then spoke with Briski about the incident, claiming he said, "I did it. I didn't mean to. I was afraid that we were going to crash and die."
According to the arrest report, Briski told detectives he was defending himself and the people in the vehicle.
When recounting the incident, Briski allegedly said the car was following too closely and almost hit his car from behind. Briski also said the driver of the other car made hand gestures at him, as well as got in front of him and started brake-checking him.
That's when Briski said he couldn't take it anymore and got scared prior to firing shots.
Briski's and Rowland's trials are preliminarily set for July 15.