Arrests made in fatal W. Laf. shooting

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - West Lafayette police are investigating a shooting that began as a joke but resulted in one person's death.

West Lafayette Police said 21-year-old Landon Siela of Fort Wayne died from a gun shot wound to the throat. Police said they were called to the scene at 204 Wiggins Street just before 7:00 p.m. on Saturday evening.

Police believe Siela was visiting friends in apartment near Purdue campus.

Police said the incident began 22-year-old Cory Lynch and 22-year-old William Calderon both had .45 Caliber guns pointed at Siela when he came out of a room. Lynch's gun discharged unintentionally, during what police said was a joke.

Police said the incident was alcohol-related.

Police said Siela was pronounced dead at St. Elizabeth Central.

Dombkowski said both Lynch and Calderon were Purdue students.

Siela was not currently a student at Purdue's main campus, according to police. A Purdue spokesperson said Siela was listed as a student at Indiana University-Purdue University, Fort Wayne this fall and last fall, and was a student at Purdue West Lafayette in fall 2007.

Lynch is enrolled at Purdue University this semester, but Calderon is not. He was a student in the past, in the fall of 2007.

Lynch and Calderon were arrested and taken to the Tippecanoe County jail.

Calderon bonded out shortly before 4:00 a.m. Sunday morning.

Lynch remains behind bars.

Lynch was booked into jail on charges of reckless homicide, a class C felony, and pointing a loaded firearm, a class D felony.

Calderon was arrested on charges of pointing an unloaded fire arm and false informing, which are both class A misdemeanors.

West Lafayette Police Department recovered the two firearms involved in the incident.

Purdue's spokesperson said weapons are not allowed on campus, but that the individuals involved in this incident are student adults living off campus and have the right to bear arms.

Police said alcohol, which played a factor in the shooting, can be controlled, and mentioned plans were in place to have appropriate staff on hand on the mornings before Purdue's home football games, when many students drink heavily as part of a tradition they call "breakfast club."

Purdue's spokesperson said that Purdue has several alcohol-free programs at the university to help students have a good time without involving alcohol.

The Purdue University Police Department assisted in the incident.

Purdue's spokesperson said Purdue did not issue a campus-wide alert because they had been informed by police that the matter was not an ongoing threat.