
2 dead in Fourth of July weekend mass shooting in Indianapolis
After Fourth of July celebrations downtown, seven people were shot and two later died in the early morning hours of July 5.
(This story has been updated with new information.)
Two teenagers are dead and five other people are injured following a mass shooting in downtown Indianapolis July 5, just hours after thousands gathered for a fireworks show.
Indianapolis Police Department officials there were responding to a fight downtown at around 1:30 a.m. when shots were heard around in the area of West Washington and South Illinois streets. When they arrived on scene, they found several people shot, most of them teenagers.
A 16-year-old boy died at the scene, officials said, and a 15-year-old boy later died at an area hospital. Four other people were also taken to area hospitals by first responders in unknown condition. A fifth person walked into a local hospital and is in stable condition.
At a news conference outside Monument Circle, IMPD Chief Chris Bailey appeared visibly upset as he scolded parents for continuing to allow their children out at night unsupervised as hundreds of unsupervised young people were out downtown after the fireworks ended.
“Parents and guardians have got to step up,” Bailey said.
Seven were detained for questioning, and multiple guns were recovered, officials said, but no arrests have been made. Mayor Joe Hogsett and IMPD officials announced during a July 5 news conference that a curfew for teenagers would be put into effect and enforced in partnership with the Indiana State Police to reduce reckless behavior downtown.
Bailey said last night was a scene of frequent conflict despite the presence of hundreds of officers from IMPD, ISP and Capitol police.
“I don’t know how many times I have to say it,” Bailey said. “We are not your children’s keepers. You are.”
Officers recovered guns from two young people before the mass shooting happened, he said, including one who reportedly had an rifle stuffed in the front of his pants.
IMPD made at least 11 arrests throughout the night for charges ranging from weapons position, criminal recklessness and battery.
“I’m not sure anymore what it’s going to take for some in our community to wake up,” Bailey said.
Indiana police union leader Rick Snyder compared the shooting to a storm’s arrival and said the inaction of local elected leaders caused the deaths.
At least 14 have been injured and 3 have been killed in shootings in the past 24 hours in Indianapolis, police said, but one death and another injury are believed to be self-inflicted.
This is Indianapolis’ second weekend of violence, following last weekend’s shootings that left seven dead and nine injured.