Man who shot, killed teen at weekend high school party will not face charges

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) – Police and prosecutors say the man who shot and killed a 17-year-old boy at a high school party over the weekend will not face criminal charges as he was acting in self-defense.

Investigators have learned that the deceased, Willie Ivy III, came to a home in the 4900 block of Manistee Drive for a high school Halloween party being advertised on social media. Partygoers were told to bring their own alcohol and marijuana and were patted down for weapons before entering the home.

Police say the “party quickly got out of hand” and the parent of the household member hosting the party “retreated to her bedroom and locked the door” without notifying police of the situation.
[That, right there, is the sort of parental negligence that, in my opinion, was the proximate cause of this. If the police had been called, it’s probable that none of this would have happened. – Miles]

When Ivy and his friends arrived, police say they went to the back door to avoid being patted down.

Two of the nine other people shot tried to stop the group from entering, but they forced their way into the home, according to a press release from the Fort Wayne Police Department. Ivy then pulled out a handgun and began firing shots as he walked through the back door, kitchen and living room.

Evidence shows that nine of the shooting victims, who ranged in age from 14 to 20 years old, were struck by bullets from Ivy’s gun.

Police say a partygoer, acting in self-defense, then returned fire from his own handgun and fatally shot Ivy, the release says. That man will not face criminal charges “as his actions were justified under established Indiana self-defense law.”

Police say the investigation is ongoing and other criminal charges may be filed at a later date. Fort Wayne Police Captain Jeremy Webb says the department is investigating charges for the homeowner, which the Allen County Prosecutor’s Office will review