Guilty Plea Leads to Reduced Sentence in Fort Wayne Mall Incident
Quentin A. Lewis, 28, who pleaded guilty to criminal recklessness in a shooting that injured one person at Glenbrook Square Mall in Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced to one year of home detention by an Allen County magistrate on Wednesday. The sentence also includes two years of probation, with two years of the original three-year sentence suspended.
Incident and Arrest
The September 2023 shooting left one man with a gunshot wound to the leg. According to authorities, the incident stemmed from rising tensions between Lewis and the victim over comments Lewis had made at a barbershop about a woman and her children a few days prior to the shooting. Lewis was arrested within days and initially faced a charge of battery by means of a deadly weapon, which was dismissed as part of his plea agreement.
Sentence and Terms of Agreement
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Lewis received a reduced charge of criminal recklessness. His one year of home detention will be followed by two years of probation. The agreement also includes orders for Lewis to refrain from contacting the victim and to undergo evaluations for alcohol, substance abuse, and psychological health.
Defense and Explanation of the Incident
Megan Lynn Close, Lewis’ attorney, called the sentence fair, noting her client’s decision to take responsibility for discharging a firearm. She added that Lewis was relieved no one else was harmed in the mall shooting and explained that the incident was “a classic case of self-defense.”
