Indiana homeowner charged with reckless homicide in fatal shooting

Martell Pickens, 30, has been charged with reckless homicide following the fatal shooting of 25-year-old Khadolphee Taylor in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The incident occurred on May 7 outside Pickens’ residence.

According to court affidavits, Pickens reported being woken up around 2:45 a.m. by a suspicious individual attempting to break into his home and various vehicles in the neighborhood. Surveillance footage shows Pickens confronting Taylor with a .45-caliber Glock handgun. While Pickens was heard warning Taylor to ‘back up,’ Taylor continued to advance, at which point Pickens opened fire.

Taylor was found with a single gunshot wound to the chest and later died at a hospital. Investigators noted that Taylor was unarmed and appeared to be under the influence at the time of the shooting. Records also indicate that Taylor had been involved in a police traffic stop approximately 20 minutes before the confrontation, during which officers noted he appeared intoxicated or mentally impaired and instructed him to walk home after his vehicle was towed.