A Ball State student was arrested Friday on suspicion of firing 13 shots into the air outside the Delta Tau Delta house after a fight broke out at a party, according to police reports.
Senior Ricky C. Haskins, 22, of Merriville, was arrested at 3:03 a.m. on suspicion of criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon, a Class C felony, and possession of a handgun without a permit, a Class A misdemeanor, police said.
Haskins told Munice police that he walked out of the house to the middle of North Locust Street, pulled the P95 semi-automatic handgun out of his back pocket and fired into the air until the gun was out of bullets, according to police reports. Haskins told police that he fired the shots in an effort to stop a fight on Delta Tau Delta's front lawn.
The local Delta Tau Delta chapter declined to comment on the incident. Lynda Wiley, director of student organizations and activities, said the university is working with the national chapter and Muncie police. The university will start investing the incident on Monday, Wiley said.
The fight initially started among a group of students in the fraternity's house during a party, and fraternity members told the people fighting to leave. As fight broke up and people began to leave, several people started throwing beer bottles breaking one of the fraternity's window, according to police reports.
Jake Engler, 21, told police the fight started again as the group confronted him outside the house and in the process he was hit in the head. Engler was taken to Ball Memorial Hospital and released after receiving eight stitches. Muncie police were not sure if Engler was hit by a beer bottle or by the handgun because blood was found on the gun, according to police reports.
Police said as they arrived at the scene the people standing outside the house began to disperse. Police saw three men running down North Locust Street trying to drive away a 1995 Oldsmobile Aurora, according to police reports.
The police stopped the car at gunpoint, while other officers found Haskins' gun that he had thrown into bushes near the house, according to police reports.
Police handcuffed and questioned five men including Haskins. They released three and arrested Kyle R. Marshall, 21, of Merriville, because he had an outstanding warrant for not paying court costs.
Marshall and Haskins were released Friday on bond at 5:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. respectively.
Prosecutor J.A. Cummins could not be reached Friday for comment on the status of Marshall's and Haskins' cases.
Daily News Chief Reporter Alyssa Miller also contributed to this article.
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