Poolside argument ends in deadly shooting at Indianapolis apartment complex

INDIANAPOLIS — A warm day spent swimming at an apartment complex’s pool ended in a bloody shootout after witnesses claimed a woman started a heated argument with a passerby.

Reggie Horton, 27, of Indianapolis was arrested after being identified as the shooter by multiple witnesses who were present at Lawrence Landing Apartments on the evening of July 8 when 38-year-old Dartanian Cole was shot to death.

Witnesses told Indianapolis metro police investigators that Horton was at the pool with two other women. The group had been swimming but then moved their hangout to one of the women’s cars parked next to the pool area.

According to several witnesses, one of the women was being loud and argumentative and ended up shouting back and forth with Cole, who was walking past the group. The woman later told police that she ran up and grabbed a handful of Cole’s shirt as the two continued to argue about “saying it to their face.”

This is when Horton is accused of intervening and throwing a punch at Cole. The punch missed and Reggie ended up pulling out a gun and shooting Cole multiple times before the trio fled.

One witness claimed Cole was reaching into his backpack prior to Horton pulling out his gun and opening fire.

When police spoke to Horton, he claimed Cole had unzipped his backpack and was reaching inside. Horton reportedly told Cole not to reach inside the backpack and even claimed to fire two warning shots, according to the documents.

Court records show that Horton was wanted on two separate warrants out of Hamilton County at the time of the shooting: one for escape and another for armed robbery.

Police did not locate either Horton’s gun or the red shorts he’d reportedly been wearing at the pool when investigators searched his vehicle.

Horton was taken to Hamilton County Jail on his outstanding warrants and is expected to be extradited to Marion County Jail. He is charged with murder and unlawful possession of a firearm.

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