What began as a routine traffic incident quickly escalated into a criminal case involving multiple felony charges, after a confrontation outside an Indianapolis gas station was captured on video and widely shared online.
According to court records and police reports, the incident occurred one evening at a gas station on East 56th Street in northeast Indianapolis. Officers were dispatched after multiple 911 callers reported a man holding a woman at gunpoint near the fuel pumps. Witnesses also told dispatchers that racial slurs were being shouted during the confrontation.
When police arrived, they found the two individuals still on scene. The man, later identified as Mark White, was seen holding a silver handgun before placing it into the bed of his pickup truck. Both parties were detained, read their Miranda rights, and interviewed separately.
A bystander’s video of the encounter — which has since gone viral — shows the man pointing a firearm directly at the woman’s head, shoving her against her car, and threatening to kill her. At several points, witnesses can be heard yelling for him to stop and urging the woman to leave while police were on the way.
In the footage, the woman repeatedly tells the man not to put the gun in her face and asks nearby witnesses to call the police. According to those who recorded the video, the woman did not appear to act aggressively during the encounter, while the man continued to escalate the situation.
Police reports state that the woman told officers she had a handgun in her vehicle but never pointed it at the man. White reportedly confirmed this during his interview with police. Despite that, White admitted to officers that he threatened to “blow her head off” and intentionally held her at gunpoint.
The woman further told police that White grabbed her by the neck, strangled her, and pushed her against her car while pointing the gun at her face. Officers later observed visible scratch marks and injuries on her neck and head, which they said were consistent with both witness accounts and video evidence.
Investigators recovered a silver Smith & Wesson 10mm handgun loaded with live ammunition from White’s truck. A separate firearm was recovered from inside the woman’s vehicle.
Following the investigation, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office filed multiple felony charges against White. These include criminal confinement, intimidation, pointing a firearm, strangulation, and criminal recklessness. Prosecutors later updated the charges, citing the severity of the conduct captured on video and corroborated by witnesses.
White was taken into custody and booked into the Marion County Jail. Court records indicate he is being held on bond while awaiting further proceedings. Online jail records list his residence as outside Indiana, and authorities noted he does not appear to have a prior criminal record in the state.
Witnesses who recorded the video said they were relieved the situation did not end in gunfire. Several expressed concern over how quickly a minor dispute turned into a potentially deadly encounter.
“This could have gone so much worse,” one witness said. “People need to realize how fast things can spiral when weapons are involved.”
The case has renewed online discussions about road rage, racism, and the dangers of escalating everyday conflicts — especially when firearms are present.
The investigation remains ongoing, and prosecutors say further updates will be provided as the case moves through the court system.
