Seven children were wounded by gunshots in a mass shooting outside the downtown mall minutes before Easter Sunday.
IMPD said at least seven children between the ages of 12 and 16 suffered from gunshot wounds on March 30. Officers were on patrol when they heard several shots fired around 11:30 p.m.
Officers responded to the corner of Illinois and Maryland streets, south of Monument Circle, where they saw a large group of adolescents, including six with gunshot wounds.
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“It is extremely concerning to us that so many of our young people have been victims of gun violence this evening. Once again, we have a situation where young people are resolving conflict with gun violence and it has to stop,” said IMPD Deputy Chief Tanya Terry.
The seven wounded victims, two 16-year-old girls, one 16-year-old boy, three 14-year-old girls and a 12-year-old boy, are in stable condition.
At least two 17-year-olds were arrested at the scene for resisting law enforcement.
Over two dozen IMPD officers were on patrol prior to the shooting, breaking up fights and searching for weapons throughout the night.
The mayor responds
Mayor Joe Hogsett issued a statement March 31:
“This Easter Sunday, I am heartbroken for the young people whose lives have been impacted by what occurred last night.
Let me be clear: a 12-year-old child has no business being out late at night anywhere without parental or adult supervision. As important, there is no reason why a young person at any age should be in possession of a gun.
But no level of law enforcement or community programming can keep guns out of the hands of every young person in our city. Solutions will require all of us to address the ease with which our youth access and turn to firearms to solve their conflicts.
The City of Indianapolis is continuing to build on our $150 million violence reduction strategy, including hiring a Chief Violence Prevention Officer who will focus exclusively on youth and working to prosecute those who provide firearms to minors.”
IMPD said on April 1 that they have issued multiple search warrants after reviewing surveillance footage and following several leads. They believe there is more than one shooter involved.
“I think everybody sees the messages in the evening at 10 p.m., ‘Parents, do you know where your children are?’ And we would ask for parents to get involved in what their children are doing, especially at these hours of the evening,” Terry said.
“This was at 11:30 at night, the evening right before Sunday Easter. So, if you don’t know where your 12-year-old is, I think that should be a priority for you.”
If you have information on this incident, you can contact Detective Albert Teaters at the IMPD Homicide Office at 317.327.3475 or email him at Albert.Teaters@indy.gov.
Contact staff writer Jade Jackson at (317) 762-7853 or by email JadeJ@IndyRecorder.com. Follow her on Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON.
