INDIANAPOLIS — Investigators believe Indianapolis’ 78th homicide happened after an armed carjacking/robbery on the city’s Near east side. Both police and the victim’s family agree community cooperation is key to bringing justice.
The victim is identified as 46-year-old Gary Underwood, according to an IMPD report.
LATEST | Vehicle sought in fatal shooting, carjacking at gas station is found, Indianapolis police say
Underwood’s family said they are devastated.
"This is so unreal to me," his wife, Laura Underwood wrote to WRTV.
She said the 46-year-old was a father of six girls. He is a man she describes as a big teddy bear with a big heart. She said they were friends for years and recently got married.
“I’m begging them to find out who took an innocent man’s life,” his wife, Laura Underwood, wrote to WRTV.
On Tuesday, IMPD East District officers responded to the Citgo gas station on the 1800 block of North Rural Street where they found Underwood with a gunshot wound. Underwood later died at the hospital.
“We believe that someone knows something,” IMPD Public Information Officer William Young said.
PREVIOUS | Man fatally shot during carjacking at gas station in Near Eastside, Indianapolis police say
Investigators believe the shooting happened during an armed carjacking/robbery. The suspect took Underwood’s 2008 orange-colored GMC Hummer H3 with an Indiana plate reading 680TBR.
“It’s extremely important that we take this individual off the streets, and I would consider him armed and dangerous,” Young said.
Police describe the suspect as a black male in his late teens to early 20s, with a slender build between 5 feet and 7-10 inches tall. The man was seen wearing a blue Adidas hooded sweatshirt and red and black shoes.
IMPD is using surveillance video captured by the cameras outside the gas station in the investigation.
Underwood’s family, police and neighbors are asking if someone knows something to say something. Young said recent homicide arrests are because of community cooperation.
“I think that people in our community are saying, ‘Hey, we’re tired of violence,” Young said.
Anyone with more information was urged to contact IMPD Detective Ryan Clark at 317-327-3475 or Ryan.Clark@indy.gov. Tips may also be submitted to Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477 (TIPS) or online.
-
Gov. Braun extends gas tax holiday by 30 days, adds excise tax suspension
Indiana lawmakers ask to study the use of jailhouse informants
A bipartisan group of lawmakers is asking to study the issue of jailhouse informants ahead of the next legislative session.
Where Caitlin Clark, Fever landed in WNBA GM survey
WNBA general managers did not have the Indiana Fever among the top three competitors for the WNBA championship this season.
Braun suggests Senate leadership change after primary losses
Gov. Mike Braun on Wednesday said Senate Republicans should consider changing leadership after this week’s primaries, though he did not call out anyone by name.
