Details scant, but 2 teens who exchanged gunfire knew each other, Bloomington police say

Details scant, but 2 teens who exchanged gunfire knew each other, Bloomington police say

A little before 2 p.m. on Monday, two young men exchanged gunshots at a shopping plaza on Winslow Road in the south part of town, east of Henderson Street, according to a news release issued Monday evening by Bloomington police.

Details are few, but the news release says that no victims of the shootings were found.

[Updated at 8:20 a.m on Oct. 17, 2023. Monroe County jail overnight jail intake information shows that a suspect who was apparently arrested in connection with the Winslow Road shooting, was booked into the facility on a charge of murder. Responding to a question from The B Square, Bloomington police have indicated that an updated release will be issued later in the day.]

[Updated at 6:13 p.m. on Oct. 17, 2023. Based on an updated news release from BPD, the booked-in charge of “murder” likely omitted the word “attempted.” The updated news release names the two suspects who were arrested: Shauntrell Juran Watts, Jr. (19) of Bloomington), who was arrested for attempted murder among other charges; and Antowyne William Dupree Osborne (18) of Bloomington, who was arrested for criminal recklessness, among other charges.]

The exchange of gunfire apparently took place at the shopping plaza in the 300 block of Winslow Road. Based on statements from several witness at the shooting scene, as well as video footage from nearby businesses, police concluded that the exchange of gunfire took place between two men, aged 18 and 19, who knew each other.

The news release states that “this was not a random incident.”

The news release describes how an SUV with a shattered rear window was subsequently spotted west of the shooting scene in the 2300 block of S. Rockport Road. Police stopped the SUV, and the occupants of that vehicle were taken into custody without incident, according to the news release.