Tony Cushingberry-Mays
An Indiana man has been arrested for allegedly shooting and killing a mail carrier. Tony Cushingberry-Mays, 21, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Angela Summers, 45.
From the official point of view, Summers was delivering mail on Cushingberry-Mays’ street when he confronted her about not bringing any to his home. The United States Postal Service had suspended service to his residence because of dog issues, according to an affidavit obtained by The New York Times.
Nonetheless, Cushingberry-Mays allegedly argued with her. This escalated. Summers pepper-sprayed the defendant, and the defendant shot her, according to the official account. Cushingberry-Mays told investigators that he didn’t intend on ending Summers’s life, but he only meant to scare her.
Federal records don’t name an attorney of record for Cushingberry-Mays.
Paul Toms, who is president of National Association of Letter Carriers, told WMC Action News that mail at the home had been stopped for two weeks, and the resident had to pick it up. This happened after Summers voiced concern about a small dog. Toms said the union thought the shooting incident might have happened over a resident not getting a stimulus check.
One person, described as a neighbor and witness, told 13News that the defendant was made about not getting a government check.
A GoFundMe was started to pay for Summers’s funeral expenses. She was the mother of a 14-year-old girl.
[Mugshot via Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department]