Jason Kyle Linville, 43, New Palestine
NEW PALESTINE — A weekend gathering of families watching their children play baseball at the New Palestine Youth League fields off of Mt. Comfort Road was interrupted Friday when gunshots were fired at a nearby residence there.
Law enforcement arrested Jason Kyle Linville, 43, 5800 block of West 200S., New Palestine. Linville was still listed as an inmate in the county jail as of Monday where he is facing two Level 6 felony charges of pointing a firearm and criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon. He was given a $1,000 cash bond and has a second court date set for Wednesday, Nov. 16, in Hancock County Superior Court 2, court records show.
According to a probable cause affidavit, officials were called to the 5800 block of W. 200S, New Palestine around 7:15 p.m. Friday after hearing gunshots coming from the address, some possibly ricocheting to a baseball field.
When officials arrived they spoke with a man, Linville who said he was one of the residents of the home and was sitting on the back patio where he said he had fired some handgun rounds at chipmunks in his back yard.
The report stated a woman at the address stopped officials before they left and told them she and Linville had been in a verbal argument when he pointed a semiautomatic pistol at her head, then the ground and fired while they were inside a barn not too far from the baseball fields. Law enforcement called for reinforcements and were able to arrest Linville without incident, the report stated. Officials noted in the report that when law enforcement was able to walk the scene officers found 15 shell casings.
Officers spoke with several witness from the nearby baseball fields, the report stated. One witness stated they were playing their little league game near a New Palestine Junior High field when he started hearing shots that he believed were close. One adult stated the shots kept happening and happening, so he advised someone to call the police. He told officials he then heard bullets coming through the trees. The witness at the ball field stated the very last shot sounded like a higher caliber weapon and said they heard the bullets coming through the trees and without a doubt coming toward him.
Officials with the youth league released a statement saying while complete details had not been released yet, there were gunshots fired at a residence just north of Diamond 1, where a rookie game was being played.
“Board members immediately stopped the game, and the police were called to the residence in question,” John Keefe said in the email. “No one was injured in the incident, and the police apprehended the person(s) responsible for the gunfire.”
Keefe went on to thank the parents and coaches who helped get players off the field and worked quickly to ensure everyone’s safety.
