Andre Briski and Shawna Rowland charged in road rage shooting of Indianapolis deaf man, Ryan Hawkins who may not have heard honking along the I-65 that led to an escalation of matters.
An Indiana man and woman have been charged with the road rage shooting of a deaf man who was fatally gunned down during a traffic altercation after the victim was unable to hear the suspect’s car honking according to the victim’s family.
Andre Briski, 24, and Shawna Rowland, 23, were taken into custody on May 2 after police piecing a series of events and eyewitness accounts that led to the fatal shooting of 35-year-old Ryan Hawkins while driving along Indianapolis I-65 freeway a day earlier on May 1.
It was during questioning that Briski volunteered to detectives that he pulled the trigger, killing the motorist who had moments earlier passed his vehicle and who he feared was going to cause his Ford Explorer vehicle to crash.
Deaf victim couldn’t hear honking
Following the admission, Briski, of Indianapolis was charged with murder and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Rowland, a Greenwood woman, was charged with assisting a criminal and obstruction of justice, FOX59 reported.
Speaking to News 8, the victim’s family stated Hawkins fatal shooting was the result of a possible ‘honking incident’, as he was chased by the suspects who the victim had attempted to speed away from. Hawkins’ Hyundai Elantra veered off the I-65 with the victim being ejected from the vehicle prior to the the car entering a pond.
Hawkins was found with a fatal gunshot to the neck, with officers locating bullet holes in the side of his Hyundai car.
On May 2, a family member of Briski’s told detectives she was in Briski’s vehicle when the shooting occurred. The family member said she saw a Hyundai Elantra vehicle traveling behind their Ford Explorer vehicle ‘too closely.’ Hawkins reportedly was making hand gestures to Briski and passed them.
Assailant driver rebuffed other passengers entreaties not to shoot
The family member told troopers that Rowland who was also in the vehicle, telling Briski to ‘speed up and follow the vehicle,’ despite other passengers in the vehicle telling Briski it was not a good idea. Another passenger in the vehicle told troopers that he reportedly attempted to talk Briski out of using the gun.
“[The passenger] stated [Briski] responded with ‘F— that’ and started shooting,’ arresting documents stated according to FOX59.
The family member said that Briski pointed and shot the gun out of the window toward the driver. After firing the shots, he reportedly drove the Explorer past the passenger vehicle and the family member saw the driver of the Hyundai vehicle ‘slumped over the steering wheel [with] his window shattered.’
Asked why she didn’t call police, the family member according to arresting documents stated, ‘she was in shock, scared and could not believe [that Briski] just killed an innocent man.’
An additional witness told police that she entered I-65 at the same time as the Ford Explorer, telling troopers she saw the Explorer following another vehicle closely. The witness told troopers that after some time, a person inside the Explorer drove up next to the vehicle and an occupant shot a handgun out of the window at the car.
‘I did it. I didn’t mean to. I was afraid that we were going to crash and die’
The witness told police that after the shooting, she followed the Explorer and later gave troopers descriptions of a man, as well as a woman, who were inside. After some investigation, detectives identified the man and the woman as Briski and Rowland.
Troopers then tracked down a home that was associated with a ‘possible relative’ of Briski’s. During a search warrant, troopers reportedly found a gunbox with 47 cartridges of ammunition in the bedroom where Briski sleeps.
On May 2, Rowland reportedly called law enforcement in Johnson County stating that she wanted to turn herself in. Rowland was located in Franklin later that day and was taken to the Indiana State Police post in Indianapolis.
Briski was located later that day and taken into custody. During an interview with Briski, arresting documents stated that he was frustrated by some of the questions asked and initially asked for an attorney.
‘Without being questioned,’ the documents said, ‘he stated, ‘you know what, I don’t even give a f— about that attorney, I’ll tell you right here, I did it. I didn’t mean to. I was afraid that we were going to crash and die’.’
When Briski was asked to clarify what he meant, Briski reportedly told troopers that he ‘defended himself’ and the other passengers with a gun. He later told troopers that he regrets shooting his gun and reportedly referred to his actions as a mistake.
