Man killed outside Lucas Oil was stadium worker, police say

INDIANAPOLIS — An arrest has been made in the deadly shooting of a Lucas Oil Stadium worker in Downtown Indianapolis that occurred on Monday, March 6.

“I was a bit worried because I was here all day yesterday setting things up.” Richard Vermette said.

Vermette is one of thousands of people who traveled to the Hoosier State for one of the hundreds of conventions the city is host for each year.

Vermette is staying in a hotel near the Indiana Convention Center. That same hotel was placed on lockdown Monday night.

“I always pick and choose my places to be in the safer area. You have to be smart about it today, but this was really too close to home,” Vermette said.

According to IMPD, downtown remains one of the safest places in the city. The department says 6% of crime in 2022 happened downtown.

The city has a new grant program that can help businesses cover the costs to enroll in the B-Link camera system.

The B-link program allows personal and business security cameras to join a network of live-stream video access for IMPD to utilize in the event of a crime or incident in the vicinity.

This all comes after 35-year-old Donnie Lee Sanders was shot and killed Monday night after a shooting near Lucas Oil Stadium, according to IMPD.

Family of Donnie Sanders

The shooting happened around 9:45 p.m. near South Street and Missouri Street. Sanders was found dead on the sidewalk.

IMPD emphasized the shooting did not happen inside Lucas Oil Stadium or the Indiana Convention Center.

The Indiana Convention Center was locked down and employees were asked to shelter-in-place during the investigation. The shooter was believed to have entered the convention center.

IMPD's release says a 25-year-old man was arrested in connection to the shooting. WRTV will not release their name until formal charges are filed.