INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer and a security guard were struck by a vehicle in downtown Indianapolis Saturday night, prompting a response from IMPD Chief Terry, who called the incident deeply disturbing.
The officer and security guard are expected to recover and did not suffer significant injuries. No one else was seriously injured.
IMPD officers arrested a 28-year-old male driver shortly after the incident. He faces preliminary charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, leaving the scene of an accident causing injury, and resisting law enforcement.
Chief Terry said video of the incident circulated on social media and left her "angry and deeply disturbed."
— Chief Tanya Terry (@IMPD_Chief) March 8, 2026
"The footage shows a vehicle recklessly fleeing after striking a security guard," Terry said. "Shortly thereafter, it was confirmed that an IMPD officer was also hit by the same vehicle."
What made the situation worse, the chief said, was the reaction from bystanders.
"What is most disappointing is that many people continued recording on their phones and going about their night after watching those working to keep the area safe get injured," Terry said. "Some others can be heard in the crowd seemingly cheering. That is troubling and it is unacceptable."
Terry was clear that the incident was not related to a street takeover and did not involve multiple vehicles.
"This was one driver who chose to drive while intoxicated and endanger the entire community," she said. "This kind of reckless and violent behavior will not be tolerated in our city."
The chief concluded with a direct message about the men and women who serve Indianapolis.
"No one who wears a badge or stands guard to protect this community should ever be treated as a target or a spectacle. What happened in that video is not just reckless — it is a complete disregard for human life, and it has no place in our city."
