Man sentenced to 5 years in federal prison for shooting gun during 2020 protests in Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS — Tyrone Ross, 30, has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for being a convicted felon and possessing a firearm, according to the Department of Justice.

Ross had the firearm on May 30, 2020, during the protests after the deaths of George Floyd and others in downtown Indianapolis.

Ross was on federal property in front of the Birch Bayh Federal Courthouse when he pulled out a pistol from under his clothing and fired multiple shots across Ohio Street, according to court documents. Numerous people and vehicles were on Ohio Street that day as Ross ran across and fired another shot in front of the federal courthouse.

“Following the murder of George Floyd by police, many peaceful and law-abiding protesters took to the streets in downtown Indianapolis and all over the country to express their outrage and heartbreak. With utter disregard for the lives of everyone present, an illegally armed felon fired multiple shots in this crowded area,” Zachary A. Myers, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Indiana said. “Today’s prison sentence demonstrates that armed criminals who risk the lives of the public will face serious consequences.”

According to FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton, this arrest should serve as a warning to those who illegally own firearms.