Eric Salinas
HANCOCK COUNTY — A Hancock County jail officer was arrested Monday in Marion County and charged with reckless homicide following the accidental shooting death of his roommate in early May. The incident happened May 8, however charges were not officially filed until Friday, June 1 following a lengthy investigation.
Officials say that Eric Salinas, 21, a now former jail officer with the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department, went home to his Indianapolis residence after his shift and accidentally shot his roommate, Austin Bunn, 19 in the head. The shooting, officials say, took place in the 7800 block of Carlton Arms Drive, Indianapolis around 8 p.m.
Salinas has officially been charged with a single count of Level 5 felony reckless homicide — when the offense is not committed by using a motor vehicle. The charge carries anywhere from one to six years in prison, with three years being the advisory term.
According to the report, Salinas initially told an officer Bunn was going to clean his gun for him. When Salinas handed the gun to Bunn, he told officials his finger was still on the trigger and it went off. Salinas then told officials he went into Bunn’s room, removed the magazine from the gun and pulled the trigger, not knowing there was still a bullet in the chamber.
Salinas told officials when he saw Bunn in trouble he began to render aid. Bunn was initially taken to an area hospital in critical condition but died shortly after, officials said.
Officials also noted the shooting happened with a HCSD-issued handgun. The report states Salinas attended an annual department firearms training course in April but failed, causing officials to keep his gun and magazines that had been issued. However, on May 5, Salinas attended the firearms qualification training again and passed the course, regaining his issued gun and magazines.
Salinas had been put on paid administrative leave since the day of the shooting, officials from the HCSD said. Bunn worked at the Pendleton Correctional Facility for the Indiana Department of Corrections, officials noted.
Salinas told detectives he was hired on October 1, 2022, as an intake officer at the HC jail. His duties would include occasional prisoner transport. As a part of these duties he would be required to be armed while transporting prisoners.
After an investigation by officials from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, the case was officially opened in Marion County Superior Court 21 on June 1, court records show. A warrant was issued for Salinas at the time for reckless homicide. However, the warrant was recalled as Salinas turned himself in and made his initial appearance in court with counsel Monday.
Salinas and his attorney arranged his surrender where a surety bond was set at $15,000. A surety bond was entered into the clerk’s office in Marion County Monday, court records show. Salinas is set to have a pretrial conference in early September.
Officials from the HCSD said the shooting is heartbreaking for the families of both young men.
“This incident was a tragedy,” Capt. Robert Harris of the HCSD said in a release. “Our thoughts are with the victim’s family.”
Officials from the HCSD said they will continue to work with the IMPD and will refer all questions regarding this case to their department.
