Authorities arrest Red Bank Road shooting suspect

HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – A Henderson man was arrested and charged in connection to a shooting in the 1700 block of south Red Bank Road in Evansville earlier this month.

According to an affidavit, officers with the Evansville Police Department were dispatched to reports of a person shot on September 10. Deputies arriving at the scene located the victim lying in the street with a gunshot wound. The victim was reportedly in pain, but able to provide a description of the shooter to investigators, and also told them he knew the identity of the person who drove the shooter. The victim was taken to a local hospital before being transported to the University of Louisville for further care.

Family of the gunshot victim said the man’s internal injuries were extensive and likely to be life altering.

Shortly after deputies arrived at the scene, police were flagged down on Broadway Avenue by a bystander standing outside of his truck. Nearby, officers located a white Ford Taurus with a Kentucky license plate. Police say Jonathan Bell, 20, was standing with the Ford Taurus, and noted that he had a physical description matching the shooter on Red Bank Road.

The bystander who flagged down law enforcement said his daughter had told him she saw the victim being pushed out of the back seat of a white car and someone with a gun in the backseat of the car. He said he was side swiped by the vehicle as it was attempting to flee, and then gave chase until he was able to corner the vehicle in the grass lot outside of Parkway Pizza.

Police say two males fled from the woods from the vehicle and a perimeter was set as K9 officers arrived to attempt to track the suspects. Deputies began to canvass the area and located a camera on a residence immediately to the north of Parkway Pizza. Camera footage reportedly showed the white car pulling around the grass field and stopping, then two people running into the woods.

During an interview with Bell, he reportedly told officers his friend contacted him and asked for a ride to Evansville in exchange for gas money. Bell told officers he agreed, but had to have his friend drive, as he did not have a driver’s license. According to the affidavit, Bell told officers he believed his friend needed the vehicle for a drug deal. During the interview, Bell claimed the victim was shot by another person who accompanied his friend.

The family of the gunshot victim said he identified Bell as the man who shot him. They also allegedly told police he had agreed to sell the driver two ounces of marijuana, but he was shot by Bell, who then went through his pockets before leaving him on the ground.

Police say Bell discussed plans to commit an armed robbery in phone conversations with the driver. They also found a video recorded just a few hours before the shooting of Bell showing off a Glock styled pistol and ejecting the magazine to show that it was loaded with ammunition.

Bell was booked into the Henderson County Jail on Tuesday. He faces charges of attempted murder, robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, aggravated battery, armed robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon.

This is a developing story.

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