Alleged robber shot by victim and charged with felonies

MISHAWAKA, Ind. -- Court documents state 19-year-old Isaiah Deshawn Redding has been charged with armed robbery, a level three felony, and unlawful carrying of a handgun, a level five felony, following a robbery which resulted in shooting on Monday, June 17.

Around 1:10 a.m., June 17, a Mishawaka police officer responded to the area of a 700 E. 12th St. Mishawaka for reported gunshots. Dispatch advised units a man was seen running east on 12th Street.

The officer arrived and spoke with the caller who told authorities she was in her bedroom when she heard gunshots and looked out of the window. The caller stated she saw a man with a gray hoodie and pants run from the tree line of Kensard Manor north onto Laurel Street. The caller also said she saw a small white sedan following the man.

An officer made their way to the area of Kensard Court and walked west toward the tree line. The officer then observed a black 2006 Mercury Montego parked with the front driver door, front passenger door, and dome lights on. Documents state there was an iPhone laying on the ground near the front driver's side door.

Parked next to the Mercury Montego, the officer found a 2003 Ford Expedition with the rear passenger tire deflated with what appeared to be impact from a projectile on the rim. Police say there were six spent .40 caliber casings found between the Montego and Expedition. Another spent casing was located east of the Expedition in a mulch bed.

Shortly after that units were advised the victim, identified as Lucas Conner, had returned to the scene. Conner told police he was in his car with a woman when someone came to the front driver window and began knocking on it with a gun.

Conner said the man was wearing a dark hoodie, with a face covering, and when he opened the door, he was struck by the man. As the man struck him, the magazine from his gun fell to the ground. Conner stated that's when he and the man began exchanging gun fire. Conner said as he was running away, he fired at the suspect. A spent .40 caliber casing was found in the path Conner ran.

Around the time of the shooting, Redding, a 16-year-old, only identified as M.A., and Iris Lopez-Cortes arrived at Memorial Hospital. Documents state Redding had been shot twice, once in the left leg and another in his pelvis.

M.A. and Lopez-Cortes originally told police they picked up Redding along Portage Avenue in South Bend. The two later changed their story. A police sergeant was able to capture images of the two with his body camera. Redding was unable to give a statement due to being treated for his injuries.

A detective was assigned to the case that day and went to the hospital later in an attempt to interview with Redding. Upon arrival at Redding's hospital room, the detective learned Redding was intubated and sedated, still unable to be interviewed.

Conner came into the Mishawaka Police Department on the afternoon of June 17, where he agreed to speak with the detective after being read his Miranda rights. Conner told police he was messaging a woman he knew as "Iana Vila" from Facebook.

Conner said his account was still active, but "Iana Vila" had shut down her account. Vila gave Conner details about her day, saying she'd been with a friend at the beach, and she wanted to meet up with him.

Conner said he then agreed to meet her at the apartment complex where her friend lived. Documents state the apartment complex was Kensard Manor at 700 12th St. in Mishawaka.

Conner then drove his vehicle into the parking lot of the complex and parked. Vila then exited a white car and sat in the passenger seat of Conner's car. Conner said he didn't like the position of where his car was parked so he moved to another location in the lot.

While in the car, Conner said he and Vila were talking and getting marijuana ready to smoke.

That's when Conner said a man knocked on the front driver side window with a gun and ordered him to exit the car and give him his gun or the man asked Conner where his gun was. The man then struck Conner in the head either with his hand or the gun he had.

Conner said he was stunned for a second due to the blow when the magazine of the man's gun fell to the ground. The man then retrieved the magazine and reloaded.

While the man reloaded, Conner said he was able to grab his gun from in his pants while standing next to his car. He pointed his gun at the man and fired several times. Conner said the man fired his gun as well.

After the gunfire Conner said he ran away from the scene to the neighborhood to the north. Conner then stated he called a friend who convinced him he should go back to the scene and talk with the police.

The detective showed Conner two still frames from the police sergeant's body cam footage while at Memorial Hospital. One photo of Lopez-Cores and the other of M.A. Conner stated Lopez-Cortes was the friend of Vila and M.A. was Vila.

Authorities were able to collect video from the hospital which showed Redding, Lopez-Cortes and M.A. arriving at the hospital.

On June 18, a detective went to talk with Redding at the hospital, when authorities say almost as soon as the detective walked into the hospital room and introduced himself, Redding said he didn't want to talk with the police. Redding was read his Miranda warning and again stated he didn't want to talk.

Also on June 18, M.A. and Lopez-Cortes came in for an interview together. Lopez-Cortes claimed her only part in the case was to drive M.A. around and take Redding to the hospital. Police say M.A. was quick to change her story about picking Redding up on Portage Avenue.

M.A. said she and Lopez-Cortes were in the parking lot of Kensard Manor to smoke marijuana. Over the course of speaking with police, she changed her story numerous times until she settled on the final version. M.A. stated she met up with Redding near Bertrand Street in South Bend to collect marijuana from him.

Documents say Redding was to front marijuana to M.A. and M.A. was going to meet up with Conner in Mishawaka. Redding encouraged the meeting and for M.A. to smoke marijuana with Conner.

M.A. told the police of her conversation with Redding prior to meeting with Conner, "When he got in the car, he just kept saying, well, he just kept telling me, like, just smoke with him, like, you stall him, you stall him, just smoke with him."

M.A. confirmed the series of events Conner told the police and while she was running away, she heard gunfire. After she had gotten back into Lopez-Cortes' vehicle they found Redding limping away. They then picked up Redding and drove him to Memorial Hospital.

M.A. also confirmed to police she shut down her Facebook profile after the shooting and hospital visit.

On June 19, the Director of Property Management for Kensard Manor provided police with videos from the main office building. The camera's view covered part of the parking lot. Documents state portions of the video corroborated the version of events from M.A. and Conner. On June 20, Conner's Glock was taken to the SBPD Crime Lab along with spent casings.

Later the same day police received the report which detailed the firearm analysis and spent casings. Police say only one of the seven casings examined was fired by Conner's firearm.

On June 21, police returned to the crime scene with a Civilian Crime Scene Tech MPD. With the aid of a metal detector, police searched the vegetation overgrowth to the north of the shooting scene. Authorities discovered two more spent shell casings. Both recovered shell casings were Hornady .40 caliber.

The spent shell casings were photographed and turned in as evidence. The comparison of the two casings located near Conner's path of travel have been compared.