CLARKSVILLE, Ind. (WHAS11) — Clarksville Police are investigating after a man was killed by his neighbor Tuesday night.
According to police, officers responded to the 600 block of Harvard Drive just after 10 p.m. and found a man who had died from multiple gunshot wounds.
Police say 31-year-old Brandon Haycroft died from multiple gunshot wounds late Oct. 16.
Witnesses and the parties involved said that Haycroft was involved with an altercation between a woman and her daughter. According to the witnesses, Haycroft had battered the woman's daughter and also attacked the woman by kicking and beating her.
A neighbor intervened and pulled out a gun, allowing the woman and her daughter to get to safety.
Witnesses say Haycroft tried to attack the neighbor despite multiple warnings to stop and the neighbor shot him. According to police, it appears that the neighbor's actions were out of self-defense.
The woman and her daughter were taken to the hospital with multiple injuries. This investigation is ongoing.
River Chase Statement:
"As you may have heard, there was a situation of domestic violence last night on Harvard Drive. The staff at River Chase are all very saddened for this incident and we appreciate our community for being understanding and supportive. Although we strive to maintain a safe, quiet, and crime free community, you never know when something could go wrong. Thus we always ask our Residents to speak up and notify the Clarksville police, our courtesy police officer, or the office if there is ever a concern. Should you or someone you know be in a potentially violent domestic situation, you can also reach out to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or www.thehotline.org.
I ask that you keep the families of this incident in your thoughts. Please take care of yourself and be good to others.
Thank you for being a neighbor of the River Chase community."
The Center for Women and Families said stories like this serve as a powerful reminder of the problem and create opportunities to raise awareness.
"Over the last few years, we have seen an increase in domestic violence homicides in Kentuckiana,” Supervisor of Southern Indiana Shelter for Center for Women & Families Zenebia Law said. "It sheds some light that domestic violence is an issue in our community, and we need to help. "The most important thing to do is to reach out for support. A lot of times it's just because people don't know that services exist or even what the services look like or how they can benefit from the services."
Law said it’s important to watch for potential problems.
"If you think that these may be warning signs that you or a loved one is experiencing, definitely don't brush it off,” Law said. "The dynamics of intimate partner violence is based off power and control.”
Partner shaming and manipulating how he or she spends their time and money are some of the signs. Avoiding the issues is another.
"The person is always making excuses for the abuser, putting the blame on themselves for the abuse,” Law said. "You may notice that that person is always trying to please their partner, shows fear of their partner in some capacity, maybe they have to call and check in constantly. Maybe, they're not allowed to have friends outside their partner's circle."
Law said domestic violence situations can escalate quickly, and it's critical to be overly cautious if you suspect something is wrong. The team there is also always here to help.
"We are 24/7, 365 days a year, and our services are free and confidential,” Law said.
The Center for Woman and Families has a partnership with TARC that gives free, safe rides to domestic violence victims. The Ride to Safety program simply works by women telling the driver they need just that, a "ride to safety." From there, TARC buses will call the center and take the women there.
Here’s a link to the center’s website: https://www.thecenteronline.org/
You can also call 1-844-237-2331