A 24-year-old man in Indiana, Kenneth King, has been arrested for allegedly shooting and killing 53-year-old Kenneth Lemar Richards. King told police he acted in self-defense, claiming he felt threatened by Richards’ “tone.” The tragic incident took place in Fort Wayne, leaving many shocked.
On the morning of Tuesday, January 14, 2025, just before 10 a.m., officers with the Fort Wayne Police Department responded to reports of a shooting near 1400 E. Lewis Street. When they arrived, they found Richards suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. First responders tried to save him, but sadly, their efforts were unsuccessful, and Richards was pronounced dead at the scene. The Allen County Coroner’s Office later confirmed that his death was ruled a homicide.
Kenneth King, who was also at the scene, was taken into custody. Authorities have not yet clarified the relationship between the two men.
Court documents reveal more about what happened before the shooting. King was the one who called 911, telling dispatchers that Richards had died after a fight over a gun. He repeatedly claimed self-defense.
During a police interview, King said he had been in the garage working on the power to the home so he could heat up some food when Richards came in angry. According to King, Richards started threatening him, which led King to go upstairs and grab a gun. He then returned to the garage, where the argument continued.
King claimed that Richards charged at him, which prompted him to shoot Richards for the first time. King said Richards ended up on top of him during the struggle, so he shot him a second time. After freeing himself, King reportedly shot Richards a third time.
When detectives pressed King for details about how Richards had threatened him, he could not give any specific examples but insisted he felt in danger because of Richards’ tone. Police noted inconsistencies in King’s story, as he initially told 911 that the two had fought over the gun but later admitted that was not true. According to reports, King said, “I had to do what I had to do.”
After the shooting, King reportedly took his gun and went upstairs to take a shower before calling 911 about 10 or 20 minutes later.
King is now being held without bond at the Allen County Jail. Authorities are continuing to investigate the case to uncover more about what led to this tragic event.
