Parents of a Kentucky State University shooting victim were charged in Indiana under state intimidation law after social media posts were interpreted as threats.
The parents of 19-year-old De’Jon Fox Jr., a Kentucky State University student killed in a Dec. 9 campus shooting near Whitney Moore Young Jr. Hall, were arrested in Vanderburgh County, Indiana on Dec. 25.
Police allege Chardnae Cleveland, 37, and De’Jon Darrell Fox Sr., 38, posted comments on social media that authorities treated as threats toward Jacob Lee Bard, 48, of Evansville, Indiana, who had been charged in Kentucky in the shooting but was not indicted by a Franklin County, Kentucky grand jury on Dec. 23.
Cash bonds for both parents were set at $1,500 and later posted.
The Indiana case moves forward separately from the Kentucky prosecution. In Indiana, intimidation is governed by Indiana Code § 35-45-2-1, which criminalizes communicating a threat with intent to place another person in fear of retaliation or harm.
The incident also landed on a campus already scrutinized for safety; this was Kentucky State’s second shooting near the same residence hall zone since September 2025, according to public incident records.
Verified Facts and Context
The shooting at Kentucky State occurred during finals week, prompting the university to suspend classes and activities for the rest of that week, according to public campus statements.
Kentucky State University, founded in 1886, is a public historically Black university with about 2,200 enrolled students, giving the case heightened resonance on a smaller campus.
In Kentucky, a no-indictment (no true bill) decision from a grand jury ends that prosecution path at the state level unless a new case is presented. That means prosecutors did not receive authorization to proceed to trial on the charges in that filing.
Bard had been detained at the scene by KSU campus police within minutes. Kentucky criminal charges required grand jury authorization before advancing to trial.
His bond had been set at $1 million and posted by family on Dec. 23 so he could be released before indictment review.
Official Response and Public Impact
Kentucky State University stated that the grand jury’s decision to not advance the criminal filing against Jacob Bard does not reduce the campus’s loss and that student safety and family support remain institutional priorities.
The university previously described the shooting as contained and non-ongoing once the suspect was detained on campus.
Vanderburgh County law enforcement verified that the parents were arrested on a holiday court schedule after investigators reviewed social media posts reported through official police intake channels.
Indiana’s intimidation statute can be enforced independently of legal outcomes in other states when the alleged communication is interpreted as a threat under state law.
The university and both state agencies confirmed the intimidation filing does not alter the procedural closure of Bard’s Kentucky criminal case at the indictment stage.
Families and students were reminded that online statements referencing violent intent can lead to felony charges, even when tied to a separate event that did not move to trial.
Data, Evidence and Public Access
Kentucky State University verified that the Dec. 9 shooting occurred along the southern edge of its Frankfort campus, close to student housing, and that university police units were at the scene before municipal officers arrived.
The Franklin County Circuit Court formally recorded the grand jury’s no-indictment decision on Dec. 23, concluding that state criminal filing at the indictment stage.
Court dockets in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, list intimidation as a felony-level charge, and public hearing dates can be monitored through the county’s online criminal docket system.
Kentucky State also maintains campus security notices and post-incident support resources through official university communications, including family assistance services following critical events.
Key Questions Answered
Why were the parents charged in Indiana?
Indiana police say Cleveland and Fox were charged under Indiana Code § 35-45-2-1 after social media comments were formally reported and interpreted by investigators as threats toward Jacob Bard and his family.
Did Bard stand trial in Kentucky?
No. The Franklin County, Kentucky grand jury declined to indict Jacob Bard on murder and first-degree assault charges related to the Dec. 9 Kentucky State University shooting, ending that prosecution path at the state level.
What does a grand jury’s no-indictment decision mean?
A no-indictment or no true bill decision means prosecutors did not receive approval to move the filed charges to trial in that criminal filing. The case ends unless a new presentation is initiated.
What is intimidation under Indiana law?
Intimidation involves communicating a threat with intent to place another person in fear of harm or retaliation. It is codified in Indiana Code § 35-45-2-1, and can be filed as a felony depending on circumstances.
Was this the first shooting near the residence hall area at KSU?
No. Public campus incident records show this was Kentucky State’s second shooting near the same residence hall zone since September 2025, increasing public interest in campus security reviews.
Campus Shooting Leads to Separate Charges in Two States
Indiana court records show the intimidation case involving Chardnae Cleveland and De’Jon Fox Sr. remains active on the Vanderburgh County criminal docket, where hearing dates and filings are posted for public access.
The Kentucky state criminal case against Jacob Bard ended at the indictment stage after a grand jury declined to advance charges, and no new Kentucky filings have been scheduled that would reopen that prosecution path.
Kentucky State University, a public institution, confirmed it will maintain internal campus security assessments and continue providing counseling and family support resources for students, staff, and affected households following the Dec. 9 incident.
