MUNCIE, Indiana – A man who shot at Delaware County sheriff’s officers was found guilty Thursday of two counts of attempted murder.
A jury in Delaware Circuit Court 1 also found Tarron H. Conwell, 20, guilty of criminal recklessness, illegal carrying of a handgun and resisting police.
According to Indiana State Police, assigned by Delaware County Sheriff Tony Skinner to investigate the events of June 23, 2023, officers were searching for Conwell “in connection with a suspected previous crime” when they approached his home in the 3600 block of South Mock Avenue.
According to an affidavit, Conwell fled the house on foot, “then pulled out a concealed handgun and began firing several shots at the pursuing officers.”
The MPs were not hit by the shots.
While fleeing, Conwell was hit by a police vehicle and suffered injuries that left him hospitalized for several days.
More: Man accused of shooting at Delaware County officers arrested for attempted murder
When defense attorney Joe Hunter Conwell took the stand on Wednesday, he insisted he did not know the people chasing him were deputies.
“They were following me,” he said. “What was I supposed to do? … I wanted to get away.”
He stated that he was concerned about his safety because his RV had recently been broken into.
Conwell admitted that he was aware at the time that there was a warrant out for his arrest from a Madison County court.
Assistant District Attorneys Steve Sneed and Maricel Driscoll presented the state’s case against Conwell.
Circuit Court 1 Judge Judi Calhoun scheduled sentencing for July 24. The attempted murder charge is a Level 1 felony that carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.
Conwell, who formerly lived in Alexandria, still faces a total of 11 charges in seven cases pending in Madison County courts, including bribery, resisting police and false identification.
In 2022, also in Madison County, he was found guilty of trafficking marijuana and resisting law enforcement.
Following Thursday’s guilty verdicts, Delaware County Attorney Eric Hoffman issued a statement noting that police officers “regularly put their lives on the line so that we can live in a civilized and safe society.”
Douglas Walker is a news reporter for The Star Press. Reach him at 765-213-5851 or [email protected].
