INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana State Police arrested an Indianapolis man for his alleged role in a shooting on Interstate 70 in Morgan County.
According to a press release, 18-year-old Dean A. Watson was taken into custody on Monday afternoon. He was subsequently booked into the Morgan County Jail on a preliminary charge of attempted murder.
Police first became aware of Watson’s activity last week, when they were notified about a shooting on I-70 westbound just west of State Road 39. ISP indicated that, during their investigation, they observed a vehicle that “had damage consistent with gunfire.”
Law enforcement ultimately determined the vehicle had been driven by the victim during the shooting. ISP reported the victim was the only person in the car when it was hit by gunfire. The victim did not sustain any injuries during the incident.
After the shooting, detectives quickly identified both the suspect and vehicle he was driving. ISP reported that investigators then executed a series of warrants, each of which yielded further leads in the case.
Police conducted surveillance on Watson’s vehicle, monitoring its movement from an Indianapolis residence to a gas station. Once the vehicle made it to the gas station, police took Watson into custody.
ISP indicated that troopers found a loaded handgun on Watson’s person while they were patting him down. On Tuesday, police executed a search warrant on the vehicle Watson was driving at the time of his arrest. Investigators found an additional firearm, ammunition and a large number of vape pen cartridges when they searched the vehicle.
As of this article’s publication, Watson’s booking photo had not been released. No additional information on the shooting has been made available.
