WTHR |Man shoots stepfather after argument

Man shoots stepfather after argument

Steve Jefferson/Eyewitness News

Indianapolis, May 7 - An apparent case of self defense may still bring charges to a 20-year-old Indianapolis man who police say shot his stepfather in his west side home Thursday night.

Police cars got Anna Stacy's attention Thursday night.  "I seen these lights and about 15 squads of police cars down through here." Indianapolis Police officers investigated her neighbor's family fight that escalated to gunfire.

"It makes me nervous around here, stuff going on like that in the neighborhood. I have been around here 25 years," Stacy told Eyewitness News.

Just after 11 p.m. officers responded the North Tibbs Avenue home.

That's where 20-year-old Brandon Montgomery shot his stepfather. Montgomery told police his stepfather, Phillip McKinney, assaulted his mother.

Brandon talked his mother into leaving home.

But when they returned, Brandon told officers his stepfather punched him and continued his attack.

"The son then pulled a handgun and warned McKinney not to come any closer, and he did," says IPD's Steve Stoletavich. "Then he was shot several times by Brandon."

Detectives questioned Montgomery about the shooting and then released him. They believe he shot McKinney in self defense.

Eyewitness News tried to talk to Brandon's mother Friday.

Although she refused to talk, woman's shelter director Colleen Richardson hopes the woman gets counseling. "She needs some help. She needs support. She needs to decide what it is she needs to do. He needs some help also."

Stacy says she "would have him thrown out of there. A woman ain't supposed to take a beating."

Detectives will turn their investigation over to prosecutors. They'll make the final decision if the shooting was self defense.