INDIANAPOLIS — An Indiana man has received a lengthy prison sentence of 105 years following the tragic shooting incident in 2022 that resulted in the death of a Dutch soldier and injuries to two others in downtown Indianapolis.
On Monday, a judge from Marion County ordered Shamar Duncan to serve a cumulative 60 years for murder, along with 35 years for attempted murder and an additional 10 years for aggravated battery. The sentences are to be carried out consecutively, meaning they will be served one after the other.
Duncan was found guilty by a jury last month of the charges related to this incident.
The deceased soldier, 26-year-old Simmie Poetsema, along with two fellow soldiers, had been training at a military camp in southern Indiana. The three soldiers were returning to their hotel during their night off in Indianapolis when they encountered Duncan and a group of his associates, as outlined in court documents.
According to witnesses, the soldiers attempted to ease the tension during the encounter, but after a short altercation, gunfire erupted from a passing pickup truck. Poetsema was a proud member of the Dutch Commando Corps.
In the aftermath, Duncan reportedly admitted to a friend that he opened fire on the soldiers out of a sudden burst of aggression, saying that he “just spazzed,” as cited in an arrest affidavit.
During the sentencing, Duncan offered his apologies to the victims’ families and expressed regret to his own family, stating that he was sorry for “letting them down.” This incident has left a significant impact on the community and raised discussions regarding violence and accountability.
