A Marion County jury found Andreus King not guilty last Tuesday in the fatal June 1, 2024 shooting that killed 31-year-old Derek Desean Host on Indianapolis' northeast side. The verdict came after a two-day trial over a confrontation that authorities say ended in an exchange of gunfire.
According to IndyStar, jurors sent the judge a note during deliberations asking for clarification on how Indiana law defines self-defense. They later returned the not-guilty verdict. The outlet reports that an attorney for King declined to comment on the defense strategy after the trial.
Officers with IMPD first responded to the 6200 block of Brookline Drive on the night of June 1, 2024, where they located Host with gunshot wounds in a nearby wooded area, according to WISH‑TV. Investigators recovered multiple firearms at the scene, and the station reports that officers later found and arrested King after he walked into Community North Hospital with an injury.
Court records cited by IndyStar list the criminal case as pending expungement. The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office declined to comment on the outcome. The paper also notes that both King and Host were shot during the confrontation, a detail reflected in court documents.
What Indiana Law Allows
Indiana's self-defense statute, Ind. Code § 35-41-3-2, permits the use of reasonable force, including deadly force, when a person reasonably believes it is necessary to prevent serious bodily injury or the commission of a forcible felony, and it generally removes the duty to retreat, according to the Indiana General Assembly. Courts have interpreted the law to require both a subjective belief in the need for force and one that a reasonable person would share, a point discussed on Casetext, which helps explain why jurors wanted that extra clarification.
King's acquittal resolves the criminal charges. With the case listed as pending expungement, a judge could later seal court records if a petition is granted. For now, with prosecutors, police and King’s attorney all declining further comment, the public docket and filings remain the clearest window into what happens next.
