A fight that erupted before dawn on Saturday in east Lincoln left a 20-year-old man telling police he had been attacked by two people, one of whom used a gun to hit him. By the time officers sorted out what happened near Vine Street and Santa Monica Avenue, two Lincoln men were in handcuffs: Markeyce Ware faced charges that include second-degree assault and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, while Jordan Ball faced misdemeanor assault and minor-in-possession charges.
According to KOLN, the Lincoln Police Department responded to a report of a fight near Vine Street and Santa Monica Avenue at 1 a.m. Saturday. The 20-year-old man told officers he was attacked by two people, and that one of the attackers used a gun to strike him, the station reported. He did not go to the hospital for his injuries, per the same report.
Separately, KLIN reports that officers were specifically dispatched to the 5100 block of Vine Street following reports of a fight in progress.
Who Was Arrested and What They Face
21-year-old Markeyce Ware of Lincoln was arrested for second-degree assault and use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, per KOLN's report. 18-year-old Jordan Ball, also of Lincoln, was arrested on charges of misdemeanor assault and minor in possession of alcohol, the station reported. KLIN also reported the arrests.
The charges against Ware carry significant weight under state law. Nebraska Revised Statute § 28-309 classifies second-degree assault involving a dangerous instrument as a Class IIA felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, according to CriminalDefenseLawyer.com. Separately, Nebraska Revised Statute § 28-1205 makes using a firearm or deadly weapon to commit a felony its own distinct offense, one that carries a mandatory consecutive sentence to be served on top of any underlying assault conviction, as explained by the Liberty Law Group.
For Ball, the alcohol-related charge falls under Nebraska Revised Statute § 53-180.02, which treats possession of alcohol by someone under 21 as an infraction or misdemeanor subject to fines, impoundment of driving privileges, or community service, per the Nebraska Legislature's statutory text.
A City Already Watching Its Violent Crime Numbers
The Vine Street incident lands amid a broader rise in violent crime that Lincoln officials have flagged this year. Violent crime in the city rose nearly 32% in 2025 compared to 2024, even as overall crime dropped to a 20-year low, according to the Lincoln Police Department's 2025 Annual Report as covered by Nebraska Public Media.
Aggravated assaults specifically climbed 27% in 2025 compared to the prior year, according to figures released by Lincoln Police Chief Michon Morrow and cited in that same report. The city also recorded 91 total shooting incidents in 2025, up from 76 in 2024, the outlet noted, underscoring how firearms have increasingly factored into violent encounters across Lincoln.
Police Still Seeking Video and Tips
Investigators have not said whether the gun used in the attack was recovered at the scene, and the relationship between the 20-year-old victim and the two suspects remains unclear. KOLN reported that the Lincoln Police Department is asking anyone with further information, including video or audio recordings, to come forward.
Tips can be submitted to the Lincoln Police Department at 402-441-6000, or anonymously through Lincoln Crime Stoppers at 402-475-3600, lincolncrimestoppers.com, or the free P3 app. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards of up to $1,000 for information leading to arrests in felony cases.
