An Indiana man tried to run away from police after they arrived to arrest him for shooting another man in the back and killing him weeks earlier.
At 22, Donnie Abney III, known as “Little Donnie” to distinguish him from his father, “Big Donnie,” has been charged with murder and resisting arrest, following an incident leading to the death of 62-year-old Forrest Tab Grant near a bus stop in southwest Indianapolis, according to WXIN.
On April 17, Grant was fatally shot after engaging in a dispute over money with Donnie Abney Jr., “Big Donnie.” During the confrontation, the son stepped in to support his father. Initially, the younger Abney brandished a firearm against Grant, who wielded a large stick, but chose not to discharge it.
As the argument persisted, Grant decided to leave. At this point, “Little Donnie” drew his gun once more and shot Grant in the back before fleeing the scene, followed shortly by his father.
Police arrived and found the fatally wounded Grant, who was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Indianapolis Police then interviewed at least nine witnesses, all of whom identified “Little Donnie” as the shooter, and gathered surveillance footage from the area that corroborated witness statements.
One witness told investigators that Grant and the younger man had gotten into an argument a day earlier and that Abney pulled a gun on him. That incident had been reported to police.
Another witness — an Abney family member — told investigators that “Little Donnie” called her via Facebook Messenger on the day of the murder and told her, “Don’t stress out. I didn’t mean to. He was going to pull his gun first. I’m a hot head and I shot him.”
Another family member member reported that he told her, “Well, you’re not going to see me for a long time. I got in a fight with this guy. He had a gun and I had a gun, he pulled out his gun and I pulled out my gun and shot him. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it.”
There was no indication that Grant had another other than the stick he was carrying.
Police arrested Abney after a brief foot chase.
According to Law&Crime, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office will decide whether to charge “Big Donnie” Abney Jr. in the incident.
