INDIANAPOLIS — A shooting outside an Indianapolis northeast side church during a funeral has left one person dead and another in critical condition Saturday morning.
The incident has led police and church leaders to issue a message of safety to the community after they said the shooting occurred outside a crowded funeral service.
“Some assailant decided to disrupt this family’s grief. I’m hurting, I’m hurting for my church," Dr. Clyde Posley Jr., the senior pastor of Antioch Fountain of Grace Baptist Church, exclaimed.
What should have been a day of remembrance, quickly turned into one of despair.
“We open our doors to families to have funerals because we see ourselves as a community church," Posley Jr. said. "That was insulted today.”
IMPD North District officers responded to the 700 block of East 32nd Street, near Antioch Baptist Church, around 9:55 a.m. Saturday on the report of a person shot. When officers arrived, they found two victims with injuries consistent with gunshot wounds.
EMS transported both victims to an area hospital in critical condition. One of the victims has since died from their injuries. The other remains in critical condition.
“Obviously this is very concerning whenever we have shots being fired, let alone at a church while a solemn ceremony such as a funeral is going on," Sgt. William Young with IMPD stated.
A preliminary investigation determined that a disturbance occurred outside the building that led to the shooting. Inside, a funeral, attended by a large crowd, was taking place.
“My heart goes out to this grieving family who did not get up today expecting to be a part of a, basically, attempted murder, which - as we now know is actually a murder," Posley Jr. said.
Now, both police and church leaders are urging the community to come together amid the violence.
“Do not turn your back on God, keep your arms around this family and you can still count on the Antioch Fountain of Grace," Posley Jr. exclaimed. "We won’t be deterred by the efforts of people to stop ministry.”
“Our prayers are with this particular family and hoping that we can get justice for the victims involved in this particular case," Sgt. Young stated.
At this time, no suspects have been taken into custody. The Indianapolis-Marion County Forensic Services Agency is working to identify and collect potential forensic evidence, while the Marion County Coroner’s Office will release the victim’s name once next-of-kin notifications have been made.
Anyone with information about this incident should call Detective Larry Craciunoiu at the IMPD Homicide Office at 317.327.3475 or e-mail the detective at Larry Craciunoiu@indy.gov .
Alternatively, you can call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317.262.8477 or (TIPS) to remain anonymous.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
