Pekin, IN – A Thanksgiving morning shooting in Washington County left a 26-year-old Pekin man dead, and one person has been arrested as detectives continue to investigate the incident.
According to the Indiana State Police, the shooting occurred around 1:30 a.m. Thursday on the 9000 block of Bush Road near Pekin. Deputies with the Washington County Sheriff’s Department arrived to find the victim, identified as 26-year-old Juan Antonio Gutierrez of Pekin, unresponsive with an apparent handgun wound. Emergency responders began lifesaving measures, and Gutierrez was taken by ambulance to Ascension St. Vincent Hospital in Salem, where he later died from his injuries.
State Police detectives and a crime scene investigator were requested to process the scene. Investigators executed a search warrant, collected evidence, and interviewed individuals who were present at the residence.
According to investigators, 22-year-old Philip James Hawkins of Pekin was allegedly involved in the shooting. Following the preliminary investigation, Hawkins was arrested and charged with one count of Reckless Homicide, a Level 5 Felony. He was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Washington County Jail.
Authorities say the investigation remains active. An autopsy has been scheduled for Monday, December 1, 2025, to confirm the official cause and manner of death. Police have notified Gutierrez’s family.
Investigators stress that additional details may be released as the case develops.
“All subjects are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court,” the department stated.
