Police investigate west side shooting death
Rachel Ellis
Updated on April 05, 2026
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Steve Jefferson/Eyewitness News
Indianapolis - Metro police are piecing together a deadly shooting between neighbors. The fatal gunfire happened Sunday night at the River Chase apartments on the west side.
"Nice guy, don't meet any strangers and talk to anybody," said Warren Mersden, describing his friend and neighbor Jesse Branson.
According to Mersden, Branson "came out of his patio. He said, 'I shot him, Warren. I shot him. He would not leave my apartment.'"
Jesse Branson, 49, called 911 complaining about his upstairs neighbor 25-year-old Matthew Herald. As Branson talked with the dispatcher, their disagreement escalated.
"When the guy launched at him and he said he shot him," said Mersden.
"The person inside apartment stated that there had been some prior incident which resulted in him firing the shot," said Sgt. Paul Thompson, IMPD.
As police rushed here to River Chase apartments, the emergency call went from shots fired to a person shot. Mersden watched as police took Branson into custody.
"They had him in handcuffs lying face down and Jesse was kind of frustrated," said Mersden.
Police also confiscated Branson's Taurus .44-caliber Magnum Revolver. The gunfire left a bullet hole in Branson's front door. Officers found Matthew Herald dead on the scene.
The 911 call is vital to their investigation.
"They will look at that in great detail. They will look at what was said, what they could hear in the background and a timeline as to the event," said Thompson.
Warren Mersden, who has tried to play peace maker between the two, never expected their disagreement to turn deadly.
"He and this guy just didn't get along. They had noise problems," said Mersden.
Jesse Branson has not been arrested in this case. Once Metro homicide detectives finalize their investigation, it will go to the prosecutor to decide if the shooting was self defense.
