𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘 𝗙𝗥𝗢𝗠 𝗦𝗧. 𝗝𝗢𝗦𝗘𝗣𝗛 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗧𝗬 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗦𝗘𝗖𝗨𝗧𝗢𝗥'𝗦 𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗘 On June 16, 2026, a 9-1-1 caller from an occupant of a home in the 400 block of Corby Blvd. advised law enforcement that there was an unwanted party there. The caller advised that she had a Protective Order against a person by the name of Jujuan Bates (35 years of age) and he was there in the backyard. The mother of Mr. Bates also contacted 9-1-1, stating that he had mental problems and advising them that he told her that police were going to have to kill him. When the responding officer arrived, he found Mr. Bates inside of a white van. Police observed Mr. Bates with a handgun (revolver) pointed at his own head and later put the gun in his mouth. Multiple officers arrived, giving verbal commands to put the gun down. Mr. Bates refused. Mr. Bates spoke with officers before walking away down an alley and later down Stanfield Street and past multiple occupied homes. While walking down the alley, Mr. Bates was tasered multiple times, to no effect. When Mr. Bates reached Stanfield, officers deployed pepper balls in an attempt to stop him. The use of pepper balls also had little to no effect. Officers had to instruct residents to leave the area while Mr. Bates continued down Stanfield. After crossing Howard Street, Mr. Bates stopped and fired his revolver in the air. Three (3) officers then discharged their duty weapons, striking Mr. Bates. Mr. Bates was thereafter taken to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased. During this incident, officers continued to speak with Mr. Bates in an attempt to get him to put the handgun down to no avail. The incident was captured on video both from law enforcement body worn cameras and neighbors who were near. Mr. Bates loaded revolver was recovered at the scene. Because officers from the South Bend Police Department were involved in this incident, the St. Joseph County Department and the Mishawaka Police Department investigated this matter. After completing their investigation, detectives turned over the investigation to the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s office to review. That review included witness and neighbor statements, a forensic review of the physical evidence, and a review of audio and video of the incident itself. The Prosecutor’s Office commends the professional investigation conducted by the St. Joseph County Sheriff Department and Mishawaka Police. The shooting of Jujuan Bates was a homicide. Homicide is defined as the killing of one person by another person. However, not all homicides are crimes. Therefore, this office must also determine whether or not the shooting was legally justifiable. Indiana Law specifies when a homicide may be legally justified and is codified in I.C. 35-41-3-2(c), "A person is justified in using reasonable force against any other person to protect the person or a third person from what the person reasonably believes to be the imminent use of unlawful force. However, a person: (1) is justified in using deadly force; and (2) does not have a duty to retreat; if the person reasonably believes that the force is necessary to prevent serious bodily injury to the person or a third person or the commission of a forcible felony. No person in this state shall be placed in legal jeopardy of any kind whatsoever for protecting the person or a third person by reasonable means necessary." After an extensive review of all the evidence, the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office has determined that the officer involved shooting that occurred on June 16, 2026 and resulted in the death of Jujuan Bates was criminally justified as self-defense or in the defense of others, pursuant to I.C. 35-41-3-2(c). This concern included the residents of that neighborhood as well as other officers. Since the Prosecutor's Office cannot prove that the officers who shot Mr. Bates was not acting in self-defense or defense of others due to a reasonable fear of imminent death or significant bodily injury, no charges will be filed.