Staff Report

Keenan Storm Yates

WARSAW — A Warsaw man was arrested for allegedly threatening and battering multiple people while in possession of a firearm.

Keenan Storm Yates, 31, 1440 Brook View Ave., Warsaw, is charged with two counts of intimidation with a deadly weapon, both level 5 felonies; criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon, domestic battery with a child under 16 present, domestic battery resulting in moderate bodily injury, pointing a firearm, and strangulation, all level 6 felonies; and resisting law enforcement, a class A misdemeanor.

On Jan. 28, Warsaw Police officers responded to a report of a man pointing a firearm at people. A woman said Yates battered her and a second woman, and was pointing a gun at people. At the end of the 911 call, the woman said Yates threw his firearm into a kitchen as officers were arriving at the scene. Aside from Yates, a total of three adults and three children were present during the incident.

According to court documents, Yates refused officers’ commands to leave the residence several times. Concerned that Yates would retrieve the firearm or flee, one of the responding officers attempted to detain Yates, resulting in Yates pulling away from and fighting with the officer.

After Yates was removed from the residence, a woman at the home provided the loaded firearm used in the incident to officers. Officers also found a live round of ammunition in the residence and noticed the kitchen was in extreme disarray, with broken glass and spilled liquids everywhere.

One woman at the home said she and Yates were arguing when Yates opened the refrigerator and started throwing its contents onto the floor. When the woman told him to stop, Yates allegedly threw her to the ground, causing her to hit her head. Officers noticed a sizable purple bump on the woman’s head.

A man said he saw Yates throw one woman at the residence to the floor and put another woman in a choke hold. He attempted to get Yates off the woman and helped the woman get away. While taking the children out of the residence, the man saw Yates chamber a cartridge into a handgun. During the incident, Yates pointed the handgun at the man’s chest and threatened to shoot him if he did not leave.

One of the women at the scene confirmed the man’s statement and said Yates pointed a handgun at her head, threatening to kill her.

Yates has already been arrested and released on bond. He has an initial hearing at 1 p.m. March 15, in Kosciusko Superior Court Two.