INDIANAPOLIS — Prosecutors have charged an Indianapolis man in connection with a shooting outside a funeral home this summer.
Five people were injured – including two girls, ages 16 and 4.
Dominique Baquet, 28, faces charges for unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon and carrying a handgun without a license.
According to court documents, Baquet was seen in surveillance video pulling out a gun and firing after an unnamed person fired first. In the documents, Baquet is not directly accused of injuring any of the victims.
Still, Brittia Williams said she is angry a judge agreed to lower Baquet’s bond last week from $100,000 to $20,000.
Baquet bonded out after the hearing with a GPS ankle monitor.
“Nobody’s taking care of Jamese or Azaria,” she said, referring to her daughter, Azaria, the 4-year-old who was shot, and Jamese, who was the 16-year old victim. “Obviously we are, but the state is supposed to look out for their best interest. I don’t feel that this case is being handled (well).”
In an email to 13News, a spokesperson from the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office said “the State objected to the defense council’s request to lower the bond. The State then advocated that the bond and its conditions remain as originally set. The Court ultimately lowered the bond over the State’s objection.”
FOP Lodge 86 President Rick Snyder has been critical of what he calls a “broken system” of allowing repeat offenders to receive a reduced bond.
Snyder made several posts on his Twitter page, one of which called the lower bond “absolutely outrageous.”
A statement from Snyder to 13News reads:
"Our policing professionals have several concerns regarding the specifics of this matter and another significant bond reduction.
We have yet to understand how the safety of the public was balanced with the rights of the accused.
As such, we will continue to advocate for the rights of victims, their families, our community.
This advocacy also includes the safety of our police officers who remain committed to Constitutional policing while protecting the rights of everyone and preserving justice for all.
Residents and Officers are stuck in the middle of this violence. We must close the Revolving Door on the Broken System of Criminal Justice in Indianapolis.
Victims deserve better...Indy deserves better."
13News left a message in the office of Judge Mark Stoner for his response Wednesday afternoon.
Baquet’s trial date is set for October.
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