Two judges were shot early on May 1 while outside a fast food restaurant in Indianapolis, police said.
The judges, Bradley Jacobs and Andrew Adams, had been at several restaurants and bars on Tuesday evening into the next morning before attempting to visit a club off of South Street.
When they found the club closed, they went to a White Castle location nearby.
The men and a third person were standing near the White Castle when another group of people arrived and tried to go inside, police told the Indy Star.
The group couldn’t get inside because the doors were locked.
2 judges shot in White Castle parking lot: Here’s what we know about the shooting https://t.co/31EzZbq7Hp pic.twitter.com/cfdEv7ijub
— IndyStar (@indystar) May 2, 2019
The groups then exchanged words and a “physical fight” took place. Shots were fired and both judges were hit.
The shooter fled the scene and no one has been arrested as of May 2.
Jacobs and Adams were rushed to a nearby hospital and underwent emergency surgery. They’re both in stable condition.
The Clark County judges were in the city to attend a judicial conference.
Police have shared more information about what led to the shooting of two Clark County judges in the parking lot of an Indianapolis White Castle.
Here’s what we know >> https://t.co/t7CVXpA527
— wave3news (@wave3news) May 2, 2019
Detectives said they found no evidence to suggest the judges were targeted because of their jobs.
In a statement on Wednesday morning, a spokeswoman for the Indiana Supreme Court stated: “Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush received terrible news this morning that two Indiana judicial officers were victims of a shooting overnight. The Indiana Judicial Branch holds educational conferences throughout the year and judges from across the state are in Indianapolis for one of the continuing education learning sessions that begins today. Chief Justice Rush expressed her deep sadness upon learning of this violence and is meeting with the victims’ families.”
Clark County Presiding Judge Vicki Carmichael said in a statement (pdf) that both judges took office on Jan. 1, 2015.
Adams is a graduate of Indiana University-Southeast and IU McKinney School of Law and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He is married and has three children. He hears cases regarding felonies, estates, guardianships, and civil tort.
Police are searching for the gunman who shot two Clark County judges after an argument in the White Castle parking lot. https://t.co/gExM14sCJW
— FOX59 News (@FOX59) May 1, 2019
Jacobs is a graduate of Indiana University-Southeast and University of Louisville Louis D. Brandeis School of Law and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He’s also married with three children. He hears all drug-related crime cases.
A prayer vigil was held later Wednesday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Rev. Nancy Woodworth-Hill led the service, reported the Louisville Courier-Journal.
She told the crowd that she knows both judges well and sees them most Mondays at leadership meetings of Clark County CARES, a grassroots organization that helps those who struggle with addiction.
Community gathers in prayer for Clark County judges after shooting https://t.co/QMNaTs5YFA
— Courier Journal (@courierjournal) May 2, 2019
“These guys really care,” Woodworth-Hill said. “They really realize that people who come in front of them with addiction issues and crimes stemming from that … that throwing them in jail is not the answer.”
Jacobs’ daughter also spoke, thanking people for their support.
“Thank you for all your prayers,” she said. “It means more to me than you’ll ever know.”
