A south side commute on Interstate 65 turned deadly, and now the shooter is headed to prison for nearly half a century. On Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, Andre Briski was sentenced to 45 years after pleading guilty in the May 1, 2024 road-rage shooting that killed Ryan Hawkins on Indianapolis' south side. Prosecutors say the clash along I-65 near Southport Road ended when Hawkins was shot and pronounced dead at the scene, one more violent encounter on a metro highway already on edge.
Guilty plea and sentence
Briski, 24, admitted firing multiple shots at the other driver and took a plea agreement that locked in the 45-year term. According to prosecutors, the Marion County coroner ruled Hawkins' death a homicide caused by a gunshot wound to the neck, and medics pronounced him dead at the scene. In the investigation, Briski told authorities, "I did it. I didn't mean to. I was afraid that we were going to crash and die," as reported by WTHR.
Road-rage pattern on local interstates
The case landed in court against a backdrop of other tense and sometimes violent confrontations on Indianapolis-area highways, a pattern that has law enforcement and safety advocates on high alert. Hoodline has documented a recent string of interstate shootings in the region, pointing to multiple incidents and arrests that have rattled daily commutes and neighborhood nerves. Investigators say traffic camera footage and witness statements have been crucial tools for piecing together these fast-moving, violent encounters.
Legal aftermath
Authorities also charged 23-year-old Shawna Rowland of Franklin with assisting a criminal and obstruction of justice in connection with the case, per WTHR. Rowland's case remains pending, and prosecutors say they plan to seek additional hearings to clarify her alleged role. With Briski's plea and sentence now in place, prosecutors say they hope the result offers some measure of closure to Hawkins' family, even as the wider problem of highway violence continues to test police and policymakers.
