A verbal dispute outside Logan Quick Mart at South Logan Street and Jefferson Boulevard in South Bend escalated into a deadly shooting on May 21, 2025. Jerry Barnette, a 56-year-old white male, followed a juvenile into the store after an argument; both were armed and an exchange of gunfire left Barnette fatally shot. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police later located the juvenile at a residence in Mishawaka with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound; investigators tied his injuries to the same incident. The Violent Crimes Unit reviewed evidence, including store surveillance footage, and presented its findings to the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office. Prosecutor Ken Cotter concluded the juvenile’s claim of self-defense could not be disproven beyond a reasonable doubt, so no charges were filed and the case was closed as a justified homicide.

If anyone witnessed the exchange at the convenience store or has additional information about what led up to the confrontation, please share tips.