MUNCIE, IN — A Muncie man fired a gunshot inside a south-side bank while holding several people against their will, according to city police.
Daushawn M. Lee, 31, was being held without bond in the Delaware County Jail on Tuesday, July 7, on suspicion of nine counts of criminal confinement, criminal recklessness, intimidation with a deadly weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon.
Although the incident leading to Lee’s arrest on Monday morning at the First Merchants Bank at 2101 S. Madison St., was reported as a robbery, it remains to be seen whether that charge will be considered by Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman’s office.
After entering the bank with a loaded .45-caliber handgun in his possession, Lee was asked whether a bank robbery was underway. “If it needs to be, it can be … to get the police here quicker,” the Muncie man reportedly responded.
According to an affidavit, Lee was shirtless, clad in orange shorts and wearing crocs when he arrived at the bank. He announced he had a firearm.
There were nine other individuals in the bank at the time. Two bank employees locked themselves in an office, the court document said.
Lee reportedly told the other seven people they could not leave the bank until police arrived. He ordered one employee to lock the building’s front door and demanded that person call 911 dispatchers.
According to one witness, Lee said, “Don’t dilly-dally. I need you to call the police. Someone’s chasing me.”
The Muncie man entered one of the bank’s offices, and a gunshot discharged, Deputy Police Chief Melissa Criswell confirmed on Tuesday. The gunshot prompted those being held in the bank to drop to the floor, according to the affidavit.
Lee repeatedly cursed after the gunshot was fired, the court document said, then emerged from the office. He eventually placed the firearm on a table, where it was later recovered by police.
The Muncie man spoke to a city police officer on a phone in the bank and reportedly said he was schizophrenic and having a panic attack.
He also reportedly told the officer he “did this to save himself from hurting someone.”
After observing officers outside the bank, Lee told those inside they could “all go out the front door.”
Lee then surrendered after holding the hostages for about 10 minutes, the document said. He declined to be interviewed by officers.
A bank employee was taken to IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital for observation, according to Criswell.
In April 2019, Lee was sentenced to eight years in prison after he was convicted of attempted pharmacy robbery. In that case, he gave an employee at a south-side CVS store a note that read, “Give me pain pills. Got a gun.”
Lee also received an eight-year sentence in 2013 after he pleaded guilty to robbing a clerk at a near-dowtown Village Pantry and burglarizing a local home.
He was most recently released from prison in 2025. Because of his criminal record, Lee is prohibited from possessing guns.
Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Police: Muncie man fired gunshot during standoff in local bank
Reporting by Douglas Walker, Muncie Star Press / Muncie Star Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Douglas Walker, Muncie Star Press | USA TODAY Network
