An Indianapolis man has been identified as the first homicide victim of the year in Fort Wayne, according to the Allen County Coroner's Office. The deceased, Khiry Van Wilkens, 31, was found in his vehicle on Saturday morning at the convergence of Pemberton Drive and East State Boulevard, after Fort Wayne Police responded to a reported crash.
WISH-TV reports that Van Wilkens suffered a gunshot wound. He was subsequently rushed to Parkview Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Embroiled in the details of the incident, the Fort Wayne Police Department has not perceived a threat to the public following the shooting and has requested anyone with information to step forward.
The evening before, officers were called to the scene near East State Boulevard on reports involving a traffic incident with two vehicles, as per 21Alive News. The victim's manner of death has been declared a homicide, which is the first for Allen County in 2026. Tips regarding the incident can be anonymously submitted through the P3 Tips app, or by contacting Crime Stoppers or FWPD directly.
Further information elucidated by FWPD Sgt. Jonathan Cutler purported that the shooting, which was investigated just before the crash, occurred in the 2000 block of California Avenue, mere blocks from the site of collision. In a statement obtained by WANE 15, Cutler called the investigation "very, very active" with the circumstances surrounding Van Wilkens' death remaining obscured by the shadow of an unresolved puzzle.
Police are investigating the death of Van Wilkens and a possible connection between a collision and gunfire. The Fort Wayne community faces the first homicide of the year.
