Lawrence, Indiana

From the Indianapolis Star of September 2, 2006

Would-be robber killed outside Lawrence bar

A would-be robber got more than he bargained for early today when his intended victim pulled out a handgun and shot him five times outside a Lawrence bar.

Police identified the suspected robber as Ronald Zenor, 29, of Indianapolis, who was taken to Wishard Memorial Hospital, where he died.

The incident occurred about 3:30 a.m. as the Sports Page Lounge, 4603 N. Post Road, was closing.

Eric Conter, 22, of Indianapolis had left the bar and climbed into his pickup truck. Zenor reached through the window and tried to pull a necklace off Conter’s neck and began choking him, said Lawrence Police Chief Jack Bailey.

Acting in self-defense, Conter pulled out his 9-millimeter pistol and shot Zenor, Bailey said.

Panicked, Conter drove off after the shooting, but later contacted the Indianapolis Police Department and then gave a statement to Lawrence detectives.

Police believe Zenor was involved in robbery outside another bar in the 8800 block of Pendleton Pike about a half-hour before he was shot. That robbery victim’s driver’s license and credit card were found on Zenor.

Bailey said Conter, who had a permit for his gun, had a witness who verified his account of the shooting.

While Conter was not arrested, investigators’ findings about the shooting will be turned over to the Marion County Prosecutor’s office for a formal determination on whether to press charges, Bailey said.