INDIANAPOLIS -- Two men accused of shooting into a house and killing a 1-year-old have been formally charged, but police are still looking for two more people in connection to the incident.
On Tuesday, the Marion County Prosecutor's Office formally charged Darrin Banks, 27, and Brian Palmer, 29, each with one count of murder and one count of battery by means of a deadly weapon. Prosecutors say Banks and Palmer fired "AR-style rifles" from a vehicle at a house in the 3500 block of Wittfield Street last month, killing 1-year-old Malaysia Robson.
According to a probable cause document, both Darrin Banks and Palmer admitted to firing at the house.
Officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department are searching for Darrha Banks, 28, and Sydney Guynn, 25. They are believed to have also been in the vehicle with Darrin Banks and Palmer at the time of the shooting.
Neither Darrha Banks nor Guynn have been charged with a crime. They are wanted as persons of interest in Robson's death.
"I think anyone can put together that we believe and the investigators believe that these two individuals might have information related to the incident, and that's why they want to talk to them," Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry said.
Curry said he currently has no information that would justify charging the women with a crime.
According to the probable cause document, witnesses said the shooting was related to a family dispute that started on social media, and escalated to a fight at an apartment complex before it culminated with the incident on Wittfield Street.
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Darrin Banks and Brian Palmer are not facing any gun-related charges because nothing they did, with respect to the possession of guns, is illegal.
According to the documents, police found two "AR-style rifles" and ammunition in Palmer's vehicle.
"Under Indiana law, it was entirely legal for these two individuals to be driving around the streets of Indianapolis with an AR-15 assault-type rifle," Curry said. "It's not part of these charges, but again, to me, it raises the question of when are we going to have a serious conversation in the state and nationwide about sensible gun regulation for the ownership and possession for these sort of weapons."
In Indiana, you only have to have a permit for a handgun. There are no laws limiting the sale or possession of a AR-15, or similar weapons.
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