Randolph County deputies won't face charges over Muncie man's shooting death

Douglas Walker, Muncie Star Press
·1 min read
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WINCHESTER, Ind. — Two Randolph County sheriff's deputies will not face criminal charges stemming from the fatal shooting of a Muncie man.

Indiana State Police on Saturday released a statement from Randolph County Prosecutor David Daly, who had reviewed evidence stemming from last month's shooting death of 19-year-old Brayden Daniel Barnhouse.

Investigators released a photograph of the handgun a 19-year-old Muncie man allegedly fired at Randolph County sheriff's deputies before being fatally shot on Oct. 24, 2023.
Investigators released a photograph of the handgun a 19-year-old Muncie man allegedly fired at Randolph County sheriff's deputies before being fatally shot on Oct. 24, 2023.

Deputies on Oct. 24 were searching for Barnhouse, who had reportedly walked away from a home in Union City after surviving a drug overdose.

Two deputies —Jeffrey Miller and Kevin Kouns — later approached Barnhouse as he walked in the unincorporated community of New Pittsburg, located in Randolph County's Jackson Township.

According to Daly's findings, footage from body cameras worn by the deputies showed as Kouns approached Barnhouse, the Muncie man "without provocation pulled a concealed handgun from underneath his short and shot Deputy Kouns, striking him in the face, with a glancing injury."

More: Young Muncie man fatally wounded in exchange of gunfire with Randolph County deputies

Both deputies returned fire, and Barnhouse was shot.

"As Mr. Barnhouse was on the ground, he made furtive movements and appeared to be reaching from behind his back to his front after being shot," Daly wrote. "He was shot a second time and still appears to be reaching for a gun when Sgt. Miller was finally able to restrain him."

Efforts to resuscitate Barnhouse were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

"In my opinion, what is depicted on the videos supports the officers' statements that they were in fear for their safety even after Mr. Barnhouse had been shot for the second time," Daly wrote.

The prosecutor said he did not believe "the officers' use of deadly force under the circumstances to be unreasonable."

Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Prosecutor: Randolph deputies justified in fatally shooting Muncie man