A 22-year-old Linton man was arrested on May 24 on charges of criminal recklessness, battery by means of a deadly weapon, and false informing after he fired shots and injured two juveniles.

Linton Police Department Detective Logan Hobbs arrested Alec Nolan McKee on charges of: criminal recklessness, a Level 5 Felony; battery by means of a deadly weapon, a Level 5 Felony; and false informing, a Class B Misdemeanor.

At approximately 9:58 p.m. on May 23, Hobbs was contacted by Linton Dispatch in reference to two juveniles who had been wounded in a shooting in the area of 12th Street Southeast and Base Road in Linton. Upon arrival at the police department, Hobbs found two ambulances. Jasonville Police Department Assistant Chief Andrew Dugay relayed to Hobbs the juveniles had been transported by personal vehicle to the police department after the shooting occurred.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Witness 1, who was in the front passenger seat of the vehicle, and the two victims were driving around town when they passed McKee. He said the juveniles and McKee shouted at one another while McKee was in his driveway. The witness alleged that after the initial verbal confrontation, they continued to drive around town and approximately 10 minutes later drove back by McKee’s residence. They had another verbal confrontation with McKee who was still in his driveway.

After the second confrontation, the witness told Hobbs they went to victim 1’s house to get a “Splaterball” gun. According to the probable cause affidavit, a “Splaterball” gun is a toy gun that fires gel balls that expand when in water. Approximately 15 minutes later, the witness alleged they went back to McKee’s house for a third time. This time, according to the probable cause affidavit, Victim 1 shot at McKee with the Splaterball gun. At this time, the witness said there was a female in the driveway with McKee.

When asked why they continued to drive by McKee’s house, witness 1, according to the probable cause affidavit said, they “just wanted to mess with him”.

According to the probable cause, the juveniles drove around town for about 30 minutes after the Splaterball incident before driving by McKee’s residence again. When driving by for a fourth time, the witness said he heard McKee fire a round from a firearm. The juveniles left the area and noticed two of them had been injured. One had an injury to the chest area, while another had an injury to the neck area.

Det. Hobbs later interviewed both victims whose statements and details of events matched those of the witness.

McKee alleged he was outside doing yard work when the juveniles drove by, taunting him. McKee alleged they drove by four times, shooting an “airsoft” gun at him three times. According to the probable cause affidavit, he said he believed he was shot three separate times with an airsoft gun, once while his wife and stepson were in the driveway with him. After the vehicle left the area, he said he was detained by police and was unsure why. McKee twice denied using a weapon to return fire at the vehicle. He also denied having or owning a pistol. He denied using anything other than words when confronting the juveniles.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Det. Hobbs informed McKee his version of the events matched the witness’s version of events with the exception of the use of a firearm. When Hobbs informed McKee two victims were en route to the hospital for treatment, he allegedly became distraught. He again denied owning a firearm.

Finally, McKee admitted to owning a pistol. According to the probable cause affidavit, he told Hobbs, “I shot it in the air, I thought, way above their f****** Jeep. I shot twice.” He later said, “I made the decision to do it because they were shooting at me and my wife and I was just scaring them.” McKee allegedly repeatedly told Hobbs he did not intend to hit anyone while shooting the firearm.

McKee stated that he was approximately 15-20 feet away from the road when he fired the two shots. McKee later alleged that he did not have the weapon on him until he went to his camper to retrieve the firearm before the final time the Jeep drove by his residence.

Officers on scene located the firearm in a wooded area inside a box in a black plastic bag in the location that McKee said it would be. Officers also located two .380 caliber shell casings in the driveway with one approximately 25 feet from the roadway and the other approximately 35 feet from the roadway.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Victim 1, who was in the back seat of the vehicle, was transported to a Terre Haute Regional Hospital for a possible gunshot wound to the chest, while Victim 2, the driver, was taken to Greene County General Hospital to be treated for what appeared to be injuries from shrapnel in the neck area.

McKee was transported to Greene County Jail where his bond was set at $20,500 surety with 10% allowed. He will appear in Greene Circuit Court on June 5 for an initial hearing.