Oats
It appears the local man accused of shooting four people in Lincoln Park a year ago this month is pursuing a jury trial.
Edmarius Malik Oats, 19, of 3464 Old Field Lane, is accused of shooting Gavin Hardin, 19; Tyler Hamm, 24; and two juveniles, ages 16 and 17 at the time they were wounded at the park’s basketball court on May 23, 2023.
Oats is charged in Bartholomew Superior Court 1 with attempted murder as a Level 1 felony and four counts of aggravated battery when the assault posses a substantial risk of death. All four counts are Level 3 felonies.
If convicted on all counts, Oats faces a potential prison sentence of 32 to 114 years, as well as up to $50,000 in fines.
During a hearing Monday before Judge James Worton, court-appointed defense attorney Greg Long said he is preparing to take his client’s case to a jury.
Bartholomew County Prosecutor Lindsey Holden-Kay told the judge there will be no further negotiations regarding Oats. Her staff is now concentrating on obtaining oral and written depositions in preparation for the trial, Holden-Kay said.
The judge has set aside 9 a.m. on Sept. 16 for either a final pre-trial conference or change of plea from Oats. If Oats still wants his jury trial at that time, it is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 14.
At the time of the shooting, Lincoln Park was filled with people playing sports, and nearby Hamilton Center was having hockey tryouts. The facility was locked down immediately after the shooting and numerous people on the ball diamonds fled from the shooting, while others went to the scene to try to help the victims.
A probable cause affidavit states there had been an ongoing conflict between Oats and Hardin about a female that both had previously dated.
One of the basketball players, Devinion “Abe” Fuller, placed a message to Oats via Instagram to let him know Hardin was at the Lincoln Park courts, court documents state. Words were exchanged between Oats and Hardin with Fuller “being the middle man,” according to the affidavit.
At one point, Oats told Fuller to pass the message to Hardin that Oats was going to come and “shoot him in his (expletive),” with the shooting occurring about 30 minutes after that message, according to the affidavit.
Officers were told a gray or silver car driven by Alexander Parker, 19, pulled up next to the basketball court behind the Hamilton Center indoor ice rink and adjacent to several ball diamonds, court documents state.
Witnesses said the rear window of the vehicle rolled down and Oats was seen in the back seat, according to the affidavit. Investigators say they learned from others at the scene that Oats fired several shots into the crowd, striking four people and then the vehicle left at a high rate of speed. The pair were arrested that evening near Franklin.
Parker was originally charged with four Level 3 felony counts of aggravated battery use when the assault poses a substantial risk of death. He was also originally charged with assisting a criminal as a Level 5 felony.
On Oct. 5, 2023, Parker and his court-appointed attorney, Aaron Edwards, entered into a plea agreement with the prosecution. However, a court spokeswoman said the agreement has been ordered sealed until Parker’s sentencing at 2:30 p.m. on June 18 – or when the judge orders them to become public record.
