A 19-year-old Salem man was formally charged in Marion County Court on Friday with aggravated battery and defacing identification marks of a firearm serial number following an early morning altercation that led to an alleged stabbing with a pair of scissors and a gunshot wound to the hand.
Judge Mark Stedelin set bond for Landen McMinn also known as Landen Williams of Country Club Estates at $75,000 after probable cause was found to hold him on the two charges.
State’s Attorney Tim Hudspeth said the fight between McMinn and 20-year-old Eric Barham of West Kell in Salem occurred during a party at Barham’s apartment in the Salem Village Apartments on West Kell Street early Wednesday morning. During the altercation, McMinn allegedly grabbed scissors and stabbed Barham in the back. Barham reportedly received only minor lacerations to the chest, abdomen, and back.
Hudspeth says Barham also received bite wounds to the back.
McMinn then reportedly pulled a small pistol from his pants and the two both had their hands on the gun as they tried to gain control. During the process, the gun discharged and hit Barham in the hand.
Hudspeth said Barham was taken to Salem Township Hospital for treatment. The hospital reported the shooting to Salem Police who began their investigation.
After identifying McMinn as a suspect, police went to the home on Country Club Estates where he was staying. McMinn eventually came out of a pantry where he was hiding after several verbal commands from police. He later allegedly showed police where the gun was located in the same pantry area.
When looking at the small pistol, Hudspeth says police found the gun had its serial number scraped off leading to the defacing identification charge.
In setting the bond at $75,000, Judge Stedelin noted the violent nature of the incident, a weapon was involved, and McMinn was unemployed and had been ‘couch hopping’ with relatives in the Salem area after his mother kicked him out of her house in Texas. Stedelin also noted McMinn also had two active warrants in Texas, but it was not immediately clear about the cases involved.
The public defender was appointed to represent McMinn. He is due back in court on March 21st for a preliminary hearing.
