INDIANAPOLIS — Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears announced that an off-duty officer with the Anderson Police Department has been charged following a shooting near Arsenal Technical High School last month.
Maurice Magee faces two counts of Criminal Recklessness, categorized as Level 5 and 6 felonies.
The incident occurred on May 19, when officers were called to the 600 block of Woodruff Place for a report of shots fired. Police learned Magee was involved in the incident after his vehicle was stolen.
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According to the probable cause affidavit, Magee began searching for his allegedly stolen vehicle, which he tracked down using an Apple Tag. When he located the car in Woodruff Place, he and another individual, both armed with multiple firearms, encountered the suspects.
An altercation ensued when one vehicle crossed the median and collided with another. Gunfire was exchanged between Magee and the occupants of the stolen vehicle, who subsequently fled the scene.
In an interview with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Magee claimed he did not fire his weapon, which was identified as an AR-15 rifle.
Forensic evidence collected from the scene, including multiple shell casings and a bullet that penetrated an 8-year-old's bedroom window, contradicts his statement, revealing that at least one of the shell casings was fired from Magee's rifle.
After the incident, both Magee's and his companion's firearms were seized for forensic analysis, along with the shell casings found at the scene.
"Law enforcement officers should understand the proper and safe ways for reporting a crime," said Prosecutor Mears. "The allegations in the probable cause affidavit could have been avoided if the defendant had simply allowed local police to conduct an investigation. Instead, his alleged actions unnecessarily jeopardized the safety of the residents of Woodruff Place."
According to the Anderson Police Department, Magee has been with APD for approximately two years. He is currently on administrative leave.
