It’s been six months since Dustin Wesley Soubeih was killed.
He was shot by a neighbor in the 1300 block of Kappes Street back in April. Even with an arrest made and hopes for justice to be served, loved ones still feel the pain of his loss.
Rachael Sidall met Soubeih, 39, in the sixth grade at Perry Meridian Middle School. The Indianapolis native said they were best friends. He was so hilariously funny, she said, that a lot of girls would flock to him and then ask her about him since she was the closest to him.
“One summer he disappeared, and I had no idea where he was,” Sidall said. “And then he showed back up for school in this car with chameleon paint. It was purple and blue when the sun hit it with big rims. He had worked all summer at Red Lobster and had saved his money to buy that car. He picked me up every single day in 11th and 12th grade.”
Dustin Soubeih: Indianapolis police make arrest in fatal Monday night shooting
For her birthday, she and her family went to the same Red Lobster that he worked at and he surprised her with a cake while singing “Happy Birthday” to her in front of the entire restaurant.
More than anything he was thoughtful, and that’s what Sidall will miss the most about him.
“I grew up with Dustin since the third grade,” his friend Michael Walters told IndyStar. “Dustin definitely did not deserve what happened to him all over an argument. That man took a father away from his children. A child away from his mother and a friend away from a lot of people who genuinely cared about Dustin.”
Dustin Wesley Soubeih, 39, dead from shooting
On April 1, 2024, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police were called to the scene in the 1300 block of Kappes Street on reports of a person shot. There they found Soubeih shot. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
His next-door neighbor, Jerry Fallen, was arrested the next day.
According to court records, Fallen’s wife told police that earlier in the day, Soubeih and his girlfriend came over to help Fallen, who was having a panic attack. After the panic attack passed, Fallen went over to the house Soubeih shared with his girlfriend. Fallen began arguing with Soubeih before returning to his own home. Fallen’s wife told police she went out on an errand and while gone she received a phone call from Fallen’s daughter that he had shot someone.
A juvenile witness stated they believed Fallen to be high on some type of substance.
Ring camera footage from Soubeih’s home showed that Fallen went to Soubeih’s home with a gun, according to court records. Soubeih became very upset, yelling at Fallen to put the gun away, come back outside and they would fight. Video also showed that Soubeih threw bricks at Fallen’s residence on two separate occasions.
A neighbor told police they ultimately heard one gunshot and saw Soubeih collapse on his front porch.
Jerry Fallen arrested for murder
In the early morning hours of April 2, 2024, Fallen was arrested by Indianapolis Metropolitan Police.
As he was transported, Fallen asked police, “Can I say a prayer for everyone here? Last night I took alife, and I wish it never happened.” He waived his Miranda Rights and gave a statement to detectives.
Fallen said he was arguing with Soubeih before Soubeih threatened him. So he retrieved his 9mm handgun.
According to court records, Fallen told detectives he pointed the handgun toward Soubeih and he “pulled the trigger, it did not fire. Pulled the slide back. Pulled the trigger again, it did not fire. Pulled the slide back again, pulled the trigger a third time, and it fired one time.”
After the shooting, Fallen fled the scene, discarded the handgun, and continued walking in the area until he was located by police.
‘This gun violence is out of control’
Walters said there is nothing to be done to ease the pain of Soubeih’s family and no amount of jail time could bring him back.
“This gun violence is out of control,” Walters said. “I have lost five friends to gun violence. So, when Dustin was murdered it was beyond devastating. Then the video of his death was posted online and words cannot explain the emotional effect it has on the family to witness something so tragic.”
Sidall said the Ring camera footage was sent to her and she watched it. She feels that Soubeih wouldn’t have believed that Fallen would really shoot him.
“I truly believe he went over there to help him,” Sidall said. “I don’t know if somewhere in between helping him and what happened the guy was tweaking on drugs and said something or what but it just hurts to know that he was laying there for hours.”
Soubeih leaves behind an 18-year-old son.
Jade Jackson is a public safety reporter for IndyStar. Contact her at Jade.Jackson@IndyStar. Follow her on Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Neighbor gunned down on Indianapolis’ westside after argument
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