Federal and International, Law and Order

Man Indicted for Shooting Gun on Federal Property During the May 2020 Protest


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Indianapolis, IN-(ENEWSPF)- A federal grand jury in Indianapolis, returned an indictment charging an Indianapolis man with a Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

According to court documents, Tyrone Ross, 29, was in downtown Indianapolis on May 30, 2020, protesting the in-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 25, 2020. The Federal Protective Services (FPS) cameras associated with the Birch Bayh Federal Building on Ohio Street, captured the activities of peaceful and non-peaceful protesters.

The indictment alleges that at approximately 11:15 p.m., the FPS cameras captured a group of approximately seven individuals who began assembling on federal property at the southeast corner of the federal building. As the group began to walk west on the north side of Ohio Street, a person in the group, later identified as Ross, pulled out a firearm from under his clothing and fired at least four shots across Ohio Street towards the Yolk Restaurant on the south side of Ohio Street. At the time, Ohio Street was filled with pedestrians and vehicles. After the shots were fired, the other members of the group began to run west as other pedestrians ran in different directions. The indictment further alleges that Ross then began running as well and caught up with the original group as they all ran toward the southwest corner of the federal building at the corner of Ohio Street and Meridian Street. As Ross continued to run on federal property, he again raised the handgun straight in the air and fired at least one additional round.

“Randomly shooting a gun across a busy street and crowded sidewalk at any time is senseless and reckless,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John E. Childress. “This type of behavior cannot be justified or tolerated in a civil society and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

“The charge against Mr. Ross demonstrates the tenacity of the FBI and our law enforcement partners in identifying, investigating, and disrupting individuals who incite violence and threaten the safety of other citizens,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Paul Keenan. “We will continue to devote time and resources to gather information and locate those who engage in such criminal activity.”

Ross is charged with Felon in Possession of a Firearm. If convicted, he faces a maximum $250,000 fine, 10 years in prison, and 3 years supervised release. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney, Peter A. Blackett is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


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