After my rant yesterday about school bus safety, a bit more information was released today. You can read the update on Tribtown. While you’re there, you can also read about the shooting at the Seymour, IN, public library. Hard to believe someone would open fire in a library anywhere… much less in Jackson County, IN.
When I saw the shooter’s name, Emiliano Cuevas Bravo, I figured it would get ugly on social media. It did. I’m sure with all the national news coverage on immigration and deportations — and because Indiana Attorney General, Rokita, issued Seymour a Civil Litigation Demand with questions on whether it is a so-called Sanctuary City, in violation of state law — many want to know if the dude was an illegal immigrant.
Seymour Police Department: Investigators contacted the Department of Homeland Security and learned that Cuevas-Bravo is an American citizen.
Incident release below, but first, interesting data:
Per Indiana Public Media, Seymour’s Hispanic and Latino population was less than 1% in 1990. According to census data in 2025, nearly ONE QUARTER (25% for those playing along at home) of its population are Hispanic or Latino. According to the Brookings Institute, the number of immigrant and Latino people in Seymour increased by 174% from 2010 to 2020. Since the shooter resides in Seymour, I guess there was a 1 in 4 chance that he/she would be Hispanic/Latino.
And on a happier note…
I saw 3 hummingbirds on the feeder today… and one chipmunk on the deck.
Today was the first sighting for me here at the barndo of a hummingbird. I simply LOVE watching them… and living here. Even better? Not one single snake slithered in my field of vision. 🙂
*** INCIDENT RELEASE ***
On April 30, 2025, at approximately 11:59am, Seymour City Communications received a 911 call from within the Jackson County Public Library located at 303 W 2nd St, Seymour, IN, in reference to an active shooter. Seymour Police Officers, along with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Indiana State Police, and Indiana Excise Police, immediately responded to the scene.
Within moments of the 911 dispatch, officers surged into the building and searched for the active shooter. Just prior to law enforcement’s arrival, a patron of the library was able to subdue the suspect, identified as Emiliano Cuevas-Bravo (18 years of age), and was actively holding him down when officers entered the building. After taking Cuevas-Bravo into custody, officers then cleared the building to ensure there were no other threats, and escorted patrons and employees outside.
Investigators with the Seymour Police Department, Indiana State Police – Versailles Post, and the FBI– Indianapolis Field Office, arrived on scene and conducted the investigation. Investigators contacted the Department of Homeland Security and learned that Cuevas-Bravo is an American citizen.
Investigators determined that Cuevas-Bravo is a Seymour High School student. Investigators furthermore determined that Cuevas-Bravo went to Seymour High School earlier in the morning to target the School Resource Officer(SRO). Cuevas-Bravo was unable to locate the SRO and left the school. Cuevas-Bravo then went to the Jackson County Library where he entered the main lobby and fired a single round toward an employee at the checkout desk. An employee received non-life threatening injuries.
An item of concern was found in the library near where Cuevas-Bravo was taken into custody. Members of the FBI’s Explosive Disposal Unit, Indiana State Police – Special Operations Section, and Columbus Police Department responded, then conducted operations on the concerned item.
Investigators obtained a search warrant for Cuevas-Bravo’s vehicle which was subsequently searched. Numerous items of evidentiary value were located and collected from the vehicle, in addition to items located inside the library.
Although the investigation is ongoing, it appears that Cuevas-Bravo acted alone. Out of an abundance of caution, the Seymour Police Department will have additional officers stationed at the Seymour Community Schools ahead.
The Seymour Police Department would like to thank our many partners, to include the Seymour Fire Department, Jackson County EMS, Jackson County Sheriff, Indiana State Police, Indiana Excise Police, Columbus Police, FBI, DHS, Jackson County Emergency Management, and Seymour City Department of Public Works.
CuevasBravo was charged with 2 counts of Attempted Murder, 1 count of Criminal Recklessness with a deadly weapon, and 1 count of Intimidation.
* All parties herein depicted or described are presumed innocent until or unless proven guilty in a court of law. *
Now you know: Indiana law requires proof of lawful presence to obtain a driver’s license, and undocumented immigrants do not have this status.