By: Lee V. Gaines
The Broad Ripple Village Association will request a permit from the city to make the neighborhood a gun-free zone on Friday and Saturday nights through the end of August. The request comes after three people were shot dead and one was injured early Sunday morning on Broad Ripple Avenue.
A man and woman were pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. Another man and woman were taken to the hospital in serious condition; that man was later also pronounced deceased.
Police also arrested a man who fired a gun nearby, but is not believed to have been involved in the shooting. IMPD says there may be unknown individuals who were involved in the shooting who have yet to be apprehended. They pleaded with witnesses to the shooting to share information with the department.
Police said the investigation is in its early stages.
Mayor Joe Hogsett said the city has encouraged civic, neighborhood and private organizations that host high-traffic events to request special event permits that would allow them to declare gun-free zones.
He said the Broad Ripple Village Association leadership will request such a permit.
“If this permit is approved, I have pledged my full support that IMPD and other city agencies will provide resources and support to enforce this reasonable request,” Hogsett said.
City leaders announced the first use of the new “Gun Free Zone” designation at the WonderRoad Music Festival in Garfield Park earlier this month.
IMPD Chief Randal Taylor said it was likely the shooting was the result of an interpersonal dispute.
“The sad thing is it happened in a place where many people, myself, my family, my kids included, have spent a number of hours in Broad Ripple and certainly enjoyed Broad Ripple. Broad Ripple should be enjoyed,” Taylor said.
He said “emotional immaturity” is driving the gun violence in Indianapolis, and he lamented the passage of permitless carry, which allows adults to carry firearms without having to go through a permitting process.
Hogsett said law enforcement and prosecutors have begun to identify “problem properties” in the Broad Ripple neighborhood. He pledged to hold property owners accountable who do not take basic steps to ensure their properties do not become a magnet for criminal activity.
And Hogsett also criticized the state’s permitless carry law.
“Hundreds were terrorized in Broad Ripple last night because of the actions of a reckless individual or individuals and their guns, which they may have been perfectly legal in carrying,” he said. “And when they were empowered by a set of reckless policies that were designed to ensure the simplest solutions are not on the table, tragic evenings like last evening or early this morning happen.”
Hogsett said he respects the authority of the state’s General Assembly.
“I just want the legislature to give Indianapolis the opportunity to provide for common sense measures that are applicable to Indianapolis,” he said.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Detective James Hurt at the IMPD Homicide Office at 317-327-3475, or via email: James.Hurt@indy.gov
Alternatively, they can call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317.262.8477 or (TIPS) to remain anonymous.
This story has been updated.
Contact WFYI education reporter Lee V. Gaines at lgaines@wfyi.org. Follow on Twitter: @LeeVGaines.
