Woman arrested in connection with shots fired incident on East Donald Street

UPDATE: Mickens was scheduled to have a jury trial on May 16, 2024, but submitted a plea deal at her pre-trial conference on Monday, April 24, 2024. That same day, the judge accepted the deal and sentenced her to a total of 30 months, with 3 days credit. 

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- A woman has been arrested in connection with a shots fired report on East Donald Street Sunday. During law enforcement's response to the incident, a South Bend Police officer discharged his weapon but did not hit anyone.

The Mishawaka Police Department arrested 32-year-old Jacquise Mickens of South Bend in connection with the incident.

Mickens was booked into the St. Joseph County Jail early Monday morning on preliminary charges of criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon and pointing a loaded firearm at another person.

Just before 11 p.m. on Sunday, officers with the South Bend Police Department were called to the 1400 block of E. Donald St. for a report that a woman, later identified as Mickens, was shooting a firearm outside.

The 911 operator said she could hear two gunshots while on the line with the caller.

South Bend Police Officer Jacob Hasbrook was the first to arrive at the scene in uniform and in a marked squad car, reports said.

Hasbrook said he arrived to the edge of Mickens' property and approached her front door from the sidewalk.

As he walked along the tree line near the road, the front door opened and a woman, later identified as Mickens, allegedly pointed a gun in Hasbrook's direction.

Hasbrook fired his weapon two times and took cover behind a tree, reports said.

He called to other officers that shots had been fired, according to police.

Body Worn Camera from Hasbrook confirmed what he told investigators.

Other officers surrounded Mickens' home and ordered her to walk out.

She eventually did so and officers noticed she appeared to have an unsteady balance and slurred speech, according to reports.

Mickens was yelling at the officers, police said.

Officers cleared her home and found three children inside.

The woman who made the 911 call told the St. Joseph County Police Department that she saw Mickens leave her residence with a handgun and stand in the road, firing shots in the direction of the caller's and other neighbors' homes.

After firing the shots, Mickens went back inside her home, according to the woman.

While the woman was on the line with 911, Mickens left her house again, walked near the sidewalk at the front of her property and fired two shots in the direction of Twyckenham Drive before going back inside, reports said.

The woman said she saw Officer Hasbrook walk toward Mickens' home.

She also saw Mickens partially open her front door with a handgun in her hand, reports said.

Mickens had her arm stretched out and was pointing the handgun at Hasbrook, according to the woman.

She then reported hearing gunshots.

Officers with the Mishawaka Police Department recovered a number of 9mm casings in the road at the scene. They also found bullet defects into the asphalt between Mickens' home and neighboring homes, including that of the 911 caller.

A 9mm Smith and Wesson handgun, a 9mm Kahr Arms handgun and a .380 Ruger handgun were found inside Mickens' residence.

Mickens is being held on no bond.

The officer who discharged his weapon has been taken off of administrative leave and his actions were determined to be legally justified, according to the St. Joseph County Prosecutor's Office. 

The office is also officially filing criminal charges against Mickens.