Suspect charged with murder of 17-year-old on Curtiss Drive

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind.—A 38-year-old suspect has been charged with murder in the June 13 shooting death of 17-year-old Allen Williams on Curtiss Drive.

Kristy Lynn Hawkins, 38, was charged on June 19 with murder and a firearm sentencing enhancement.

According to the probable cause affidavit filed Friday, police were called to the 3400 block of Curtiss Drive, at the Beacon Heights apartment complex, for reports of shots fired and that someone had been hit.

Officers found a black male at the scene who was unresponsive and suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.

The victim, identified as 17-year-old Allen Williams, was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

An autopsy showed that Williams died from a single gunshot wound to the chest and his death was ruled a homicide.

Officers located ballistic evidence at the scene that is consistent with only one handgun being fired multiple times, court documents said.

Witnesses initially described the suspect as an older white female and through the use of social media, Hawkins was identified as a suspect, court documents said.

Witnesses told investigators that during a gathering of people in a parking lot on Curtiss Drive, an argument between Hawkins and another woman broke out, reports said.

Hawkins went to her car and came back with a handgun, which witnesses reported she fired multiple times and struck Williams, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Witnesses said they did not see anyone else with a handgun and no one else fired any weapons, reports said.

During an interview with investigators, Hawkins admitted to firing her handgun and stated that she was at the apartment complex and drinking with others, court documents said.

Hawkins told police that she “felt threatened by the crowd” who she said was accusing her of “being part of the racial unrest in the country,” according to the probable cause affidavit.

Hawkins said that when she got her gun she fired once into the air and then “lost control” of her handgun and it "flew out of her hand,"  according to the court documents.

According to court documents, Hawkins said that “many people then fired weapons.”

Court documents said that an audio recording of the incident appears inconsistent with Hawkins’ account of what happened.

Hawkins told police that she saw Williams on the ground and thought that he was having a seizure so she crawled over to him to cradle his head while asking someone to call an ambulance, court documents said.

Hawkins said that other people told her to leave, so she did, court documents said.

Witnesses told police that Hawkins did not “crawl” on the ground and give aid to Williams but instead she “calmly got into her vehicle and left the scene,” according to the probable cause affidavit.

Hawkins is being held in the St. Joseph County Jail without bond. She is due in court on June 22.