A man has pleaded guilty in connection with an August 2025 shooting at the Laurel Woods Apartments in South Bend, St. Joseph County, that injured a child and a woman. WSBT[1] and WNDU[2] reported the plea on Thursday, October 22, 2026.
According to WSBT, the child was left with bullet fragments in the skull, and the woman suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Sentencing is set for November 2026, the outlets reported. South Bend police investigated the shooting.
What apartment residents should know
Shootings at apartment complexes can raise questions about property security. Residents can ask management about lighting, locked entrances, working cameras, and how security concerns are reported and handled. Keeping a written record of reported problems, such as broken gates or repeated incidents, can help show what the property knew and when.
Indiana law can, in limited circumstances, allow a claim against a property owner when someone is hurt on the property. The answer depends on facts that are not known here. Nothing in this article suggests that the apartment complex or its management is responsible. You can read more about how Indiana evaluates negligent security claims involving businesses and landlords.
What injured people should do next
If you were hurt in a shooting, follow all medical advice and keep records of every treatment, therapy session, and follow-up visit, especially when an injury may have long-term effects. Keep the police case number and any victim-assistance information provided by the prosecutor's office.
Be careful about giving a recorded statement to an insurance company before you understand your options. This guide explains what to consider when an insurance adjuster requests a recorded statement or medical release. Organizing police records, medical documents, and insurance correspondence can also make a later case review more useful.
Why location matters in an Indiana injury claim
This shooting happened at an apartment complex in South Bend, in St. Joseph County, and the South Bend Police Department investigated. A civil case would usually be filed in the county where the injury happened or where a defendant lives or does business.
A criminal case and a civil injury claim are separate. Most injury claims must be filed within two years under Ind. Code 34-11-2-4. For children, the limitations period is generally paused until the child turns 18 under Ind. Code 34-11-6-1. The facts of a particular case can affect the proper deadline, so it is important to review timing carefully.
How Delventhal Law Office can help
Delventhal Law Office, LLC is a personal injury law firm in Fort Wayne, Indiana, founded by attorney Chad E. Delventhal in 2009. The firm represents people across Indiana who are hurt because of another person's wrongdoing or carelessness, including unsafe conditions on property. If you need help understanding a possible claim, you can consult a South Bend premises liability lawyer or request a free case evaluation. No outcome can be promised in any case.
This post is based on public reporting, the investigation may be ongoing, and nothing here is legal advice or creates an attorney-client relationship.
