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'I protect people': Bystander says he shot alleged carjacker

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Posted at 9:34 AM, Jan 12, 2023
and last updated 2023-01-12 10:03:28-05

INDIANAPOLIS — Earlier this week, a man was shot and killed on the city's south side during an attempted carjacking.

The man, 26-year-old Devan Dungan, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Now, WRTV is speaking with the man who says he fired the shots that killed Dungan as Dungan attempted to carjack a woman at a gas station.

Marzell Abrams says he shot the man attempting to carjack a woman on Sunday.

“When she yelled that’s when I knew something wasn’t right,” Marzell Abrams said.

Abrams says he was at the Marathon gas station off West Thompson Road when he says he thought he saw a man trying to steal a woman’s car with her kids inside.

“When I went over there, I told him to move and as soon as I said it he grabbed her more,” Abrams said.

Abrams says he saw the man’s gun at some point, and that is when he fired off his gun.

The next thing he remembers is the man, later identified as Dungan, lying on the ground.

“I didn’t even know he died," Abrams said. "I just thought he fell down. But when they told me that I was like 'damn I wish that this could have been diffused differently'. (I did not want) someone to lose their life."

The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office says they are still investigating and that could mean charges for Abrams.

He says he just wishes things went down different that night.

“I wish everything happened differently," Abrams said. "I wish (Dungan) didn’t get shot. I wish everyone had a peaceful night. I wish the dude didn’t do what he did."

Abrams says he did what he felt he had to do.

“I protect people when (others) are in the wrong,” Abrams said.