16-year-old girl shot while sleeping in her Indianapolis home

INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — A shooting on Indianapolis’ east side early Wednesday morning has left a 16-year-old girl injured, according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

No one has been arrested.

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police said the teenager was sleeping inside her home, just east of Rural Street, when the gunfire started around 4:45 a.m. Wednesday in the 1300 block of North Dearborn Street. An adult woman was also in the house at the time. As of Wednesday afternoon, the girl was in stable condition.

A neighbor, who asked to remain anonymous, said gunshots woke him up. While he called the event a tragedy, he said he was not surprised by the violence.

“It was bound to happen. There’s been several incidents where young people have been fighting in the streets,” the neighbor said.

Other residents told reporters they frequently see five to 15 children roaming Dearborn Street and nearby areas, often causing disturbances late at night. Those living nearby are asking for police intervention and for duplex landlords to crack down on tenant behavior and property conditions.

Investigators are asking anyone with surveillance footage or tips to contact the department.

Police did not say whether the house was targeted or if the shooting was a random act of violence.

“Again, it does appear that this young lady was sleeping and had no involvement directly in an incident like that,” said Tommy Thompson, IMPD public information officer. “So, detectives have to work backwards and figure that out. Is there a connection? Is there not a connection? At the end of the day, someone’s been shot and that’s one too many.”

Michaela Springer contributed to this article.