INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — The leader of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department called last week's fatal shooting of a 23-year-old man at a downtown parking garage a tragedy that led to the arrest of a 14-year-old boy.
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Chief Tanya Terry said in a Thursday news conference, "Let that sink in: 14 years old and arrested for murder. One young man tragically had his life cut short, and another is going to face lifelong consequences for his actions."
"What happened downtown last week was an absolutely tragic incident. My heart goes out to the family, friends, and loved ones of Brett Scrogham, who was killed."
Scrogham, a recent graduate of Indiana University Indianapolis, died after the 6 p.m. Thursday shooting at the Park Plaza parking garage east of the Indiana Convention Center. Mayor Joe Hogsett, in a Sunday statement, noted that Scrogham had been "enjoying the amenities that make our city great” but did not say where he was visiting while downtown.
IMPD announced the 14-year-old teen's arrest on Wednesday night. The police chief on Thursday gave few details about the identity of the teen who pulled the trigger.
Police have said the Marion County Prosecutor's Office will make the final charging decisions in the case, including whether the boy will be tried as an adult or whether his parents could be held responsible.
After Aaron Green's father was murdered by a 17-year-old, he began helping troubled youth identify and heal from trauma through his Indianapolis organization, Struggle University.
"I don't think any kid wakes up and is born a killer," Green said.
His goal is to identify and address early signs of distress through community-building exercises. "I think it's a cumulation of things that have happened over time. … And if kids don't feel safe where they feel like they need to have guns, that's an adult problem. That's not a kid problem."
Green says he doesn't believe the boy should be punished as an adult for murder. "I mean it's just a really, really difficult situation. It really is; at 14, your whole life you just lost, and we know prisons don't help."
Green believes in rehabilitation. He encourages adults to create safe spaces so teens can open up and communicate instead of turning to guns.
The IMPD chief echoed that sentiment. Terry encouraged parents and guardians to be proactive and, if needed, reach organizations that can help. "This level of youth violence is not unique to Indianapolis. Other cities throughout our country are also seeing similar patterns. We cannot accept violence involving our children as something that's normal."
