William E. Deaton II, 38, fatally shot in Indianapolis, Indiana

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Indianapolis Man Fatally Shot While Aiding Woman in Northwest Side Altercation

INDIANAPOLIS (DailyKenn.com) — A 38-year-old Indianapolis man was shot and killed last month after intervening in a dispute between a woman and a teenage boy on the city's northwest side, authorities said.

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William E. Deaton II died at the scene in the 5200 block of Austral Drive shortly after 4 p.m. on Sept. 30, 2025, following multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Marion County coroner's office. Police responded to an incomplete 911 call and found Deaton unresponsive near a wooded area behind several homes, southwest of the Interstate 465 interchange at West 56th Street.

Investigators determined the shooting stemmed from an argument between the woman — who had driven to the location with Deaton to meet the teenager — and the 17-year-old boy. The dispute escalated when the boy allegedly became aggressive, pointed a gun at the woman and prompted her to scream for help, court documents show. Deaton, who had remained nearby, rushed toward the wooded area to assist her when the boy fired several shots, striking him, police said.

Video footage captured the boy walking down Austral Drive into the woods before the gunfire erupted seconds after Deaton exited his vehicle and approached, according to affidavits. The teenager fled south on foot before officers arrived and evaded capture for weeks.

On Oct. 20, 2025, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department homicide detectives arrested the 17-year-old Nigerian national, identified in court records as Emmanuel Awobiyi, without incident. He faces a murder charge in Marion County Juvenile Court, with prosecutors seeking to try him as an adult. His name was released publicly through charging documents despite his minor status.

The incident unfolded amid a spate of violence in Indianapolis, including a double shooting earlier that day on the near west side that left another man dead and a woman injured. As of late October, the city had recorded at least 30 homicides in 2025, continuing a trend of gun-related fatalities in residential neighborhoods.

Deaton, a local resident with no prior criminal history noted in reports, was remembered by community members as a helpful figure. An online memorial has collected tributes describing him as a devoted family man and friend.

Police continue to investigate and are seeking additional witness information. Tips can be submitted anonymously to IMPD homicide detectives at 317-327-3475 or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477