Docs: Suspect says deaf driver fatally shot after he ‘brake-checked’, ‘threw up hand signs’

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Police documents describe the road rage shooting and death of a deaf Indianapolis man last week.

The driver, identified as 35-year-old Ryan Hawkins went off the interstate and was ejected from his car, which ended up into a residential pond next to the interstate in the 7800 block of Tanza Road. That’s in the Redwoods Apartment Neighborhoods.

The crash happened around 1 p.m. last Wednesday. Sgt. John Perrine said the driver was in an incident involving road rage and gunfire while on I-65 northbound near the 103-mile marker. That’s south of the Southport Road exit on the city’s south side.

The Marion County Coroner’s office determined Hawkins died from a gunshot wound to the neck region and the manner of death was ruled a homicide.

His family believes the incident led Ryan to try to speed away from the area. They say he was then shot before his car veered off of I-65. He was ejected from the car before it entered the pond. Officers also located bullet holes in the side of the car.

Hawkins attended the Indiana School for the Deaf. He went on to attend Gallaudet University, which is the only liberal arts university for deaf and hard of hearing students internationally.

News 8 spoke to Hawkins’ family last week.

“When deaf people meet deaf people, you click instantaneously, because you have similar lives, but Ryan just connected with everyone, he was a beautiful soul,” Drew Hawkins said about his brother.

His sister, Paige Hawkins, echoed that same sentiment, saying her brother was a light in her life.

“Gallaudet University is saddened by the untimely passing of Ryan Hawkins, a 2013 graduate,” the university said in a statement. “Mr. Hawkins was an active and involved student and a loyal alumnus. His sister is an alumna, and his brother is a current student. We mourn with his family, and wish them peace and comfort.”

Police arrested Andre Briski, 24, of Indianapolis and Shawna Rowland of Greenwood Ind. Briski charged with murder and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Rowland charged with assisting a criminal and obstruction of justice.

According to police documents, other drivers on I-65 described hearing gunshots and observing the driver of a maroon and tan Ford Explorer firing a silver handgun into a dark gray Hyundai Elantra.

Witnesses describe seeing the windows broken out on the Hyundai and the driver slumped over the wheel before the vehicle veered off the road, hit an embankment and going inverted into the pond.

Using the witness description of the Ford Explorer, police were able to locate four persons in the vehicle during the time of the shooting.

Police were able to locate the Ford Explorer after an investigation that revealed Briski and Rowland were stopped previously in the same Ford Explorer. During that traffic stop, Briski was in possession of a silver handgun.

Police located the Ford Explorer at the home of a relative of Briski. In that home, believed to be where Briski lived, an ammunition box was located that contained 47 ammunition cartridges.

Police say the mother of two other persons in the Ford Explorer at the time of the shooting called police and told them the Hyundai was ‘trying to hit them from behind’ and ‘began throwing up signs with his hands.’

In interviews with the two other persons in the Ford Explorer, police say that Briski was upset with Rowland the day of the shooting. Briski and Rowland were arguing over Rowland possibly cheating on him with a co-worker. Police say the group got on I-65 to ‘take a drive’. Briski was described as driving with Rowland in the rear passenger side seat.

Police say the group visited one of Briski’s friends in Franklin before heading back north on I-65. Once on the interstate, police say Briski was driving at a high rate of speed in the left lane. The passengers in the Ford Explorer say they saw Hawkins put his hand out of the window as he tried to cut off the Ford Explorer and gave them ‘hand gestures.’

Police say the witnesses in the Ford Explorer said at this point Rowland told Briski to speed up and follow Hawkins and Briski asked for his handgun. Police say the witnesses in the vehicle said Briski started shooting at this point and they saw the rounds strike the vehicle and the driver.

Police say Briski got off the interstate at Southport Road, stopped the vehicle and jumped out and ran. Police say Rowland then got into the driver’s seat and drove away.

The witnesses in the Ford Explorer told police after they returned home they wiped down the gun and Rowland left the home with it.

Rowland called police on May 2 and indicated she wanted to turn herself in. Police arrested Rowland at a home in Franklin Ind. Rowland indicated she would speak to police after having an attorney present.

Police were able to locate Briski after he checked into a medical facility in Indianapolis.

Briski told police he did not turn himself in sooner so he could ‘get his mental health together.’ Briski said he and Rowland had an argument about her not going to work. Police say Briski became agitated with the questioning and said “you’re not asking me the right questions, I’m sorry I would like an attorney.” Briski then stated “I want you to ask me the right questions so I can break down and just tell you.” He stated he ‘didn’t want people to go down for something he did.’ Police say he then stated “you know what, I don’t even give a expletive about that attorney, I’ll tell you right here, I did it. I didn’t mean to, I was afraid that we were going to crash and die.”

Briski then described that prior to the shooting he was in the car with Rowland and two other persons. After visiting a friend, they headed north on I-65. Briski said he noticed a vehicle following him and following too closely. Briski went on to say the driver began making hand gestures at him and drove in front of him and began brake checking him.

Briski told police he couldn’t take it anymore and got scared. When police asked Briski what happened he said “I shot three times.” Briski described the gun as a Smith and Wesson 40 caliber handgun. Briski said he then observed the driver of the vehicle he fired at move from the left lane to the right lane and crash. Briski told police he got off the interstate, he was told to leave the car and he began running.

When police asked Briski why he didn’t leave the interstate if he was scared, Briski said he was traveling too fast and unable to exit and that his girlfriend Rowland was yelling at him to speed up. Police say Briski said he was too scared to contact police afterwards and left the gun in the vehicle.

Briski and Rowland are scheduled to appear in a Marion County courtroom Thursday at 9am.