St. John, Indiana

From Munster’s Northwest Indiana Times of May 11, 2006

No charges against man who shot brothers in bar fight

ST. JOHN: Stories vary on how fight, shooting erupted

No charges have been filed against a St. John man who shot and killed a 25-year-old Lowell man and wounded his 24-year-old brother during a bar fight early Tuesday.

John Sabaitis, 21, of St. John was expected to be released from Lake County jail early this morning, after being held in connection with the shooting, said Daniel Vincent, Sabaitis' business partner.

"No charges are being filed," St. John Police Chief Fred Frego said Wednesday afternoon.

Frego would not comment on why charges were not filed. He said it was a decision made by the Lake County Prosecutor's office. The Times calls to the prosecutor's office were not returned Wednesday afternoon.

Sabaitis shot Petar Radjen in the chest, killing him. Dragan Radjen was injured after being shot in the hand during a melee outside Spiro's on 41, 9163 Wicker Ave.

The Radjen's paint Sabaitis as the aggressor, while Sabaitis says the Radjens lay in wait and jumped him outside a St. John tavern.

Police received a call of shots fired and a man down about 1:40 a.m. Tuesday, Frego said.

Frego said the men got into a verbal altercation. They left the bar, and the altercation turned physical, ending in a shooting.

This was St. John's first homicide in two years.

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From Munster’s Northwest Indiana News of May 11, 2006

Prosecutors determine shooting was self-defense

Lake County Prosecutors have determined that a St. John man was defending himself when he shot and killed a 25-year-old Lowell man and injured the man's 24-year-old brother.

No charges were filed against John Sabaitis, who shot Petar Radjen in the chest and Dragan Radjen in the hand during a fight outside a St. John bar early Tuesday.

Evidence from a nearby surveillance camera that captured the incident shows Sabaitis was acting in self-defense, said Diane Poulton, a spokeswoman for the county prosecutor's office.

From the NWITimes.com of December 27, 2006

No charges in fatal St. John shooting

ST. JOHN: Jury finds shooter's self-defense account to be true; Lowell man's family unsure of civil suit

A St. John man involved in a fatal shooting outside a St. John bar in May will not face any criminal charges.

Johnathan Sabaitis, now 22, fatally shot Lowell resident Petar Radjen, 25, and wounded Dragan "Danny" Radjen during a fight May 9 outside Spiro's on 41, 9163 Wicker Ave., police said.

A grand jury determined this month that Sabaitis would not be indicted in the case, the Lake County prosecutor's office said.

Sabaitis is glad the case is closed, criminally.

He said evidence presented to the grand jury proved that his version of the night's events is true.

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From the NWI.com of January 16, 2007

Victim's family to pursue civil suit in shooting death

ST. JOHN: Injured brother upset with case outcome

The family of a Lowell man who was shot and killed outside a St. John bar in May plans to file a civil suit against the shooter.

Johnathan Sabaitis fatally shot Petar Radjen, 25, and wounded Dragan "Danny" Radjen during a fight May 9 outside Spiro's on 41, 9263 Wicker Ave., police said.

A grand jury in December determined Sabaitis would not be indicted in the case, according to the Lake County prosecutor's office.

Danny Radjen said his family will pursue the matter through a civil suit.

"We're going through the legal process now," he said.

The shooting occurred after a disagreement inside the bar.

Sabaitis said he shot the brothers in self-defense after they jumped him outside the bar. But Radjen said Sabaitis and his brother were in a one-on-one fight until Sabaitis pulled out a gun.

Radjen is upset with the way the case was handled, saying he can't believe that Sabaitis was not charged with anything.

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