INDIANAPOLIS — Seven people were shot in a mass shooting event in downtown Indianapolis that claimed the lives of two people, including a juvenile, early Saturday morning, according to IMPD.
Officers responded to a disturbance at Washington and Meridian Street around 1:27 a.m. Officers were notified of a second disturbance in the area of Washington and Illinois.
IMPD said that as they were approaching the second disturbance, they heard shots fired.
When officers arrived at the second scene, they found several victims suffering from gunshot wounds.
Officers and IEMS immediately began administering aid to the victims.
IMPD said a one victim, a 16-year-old male, was pronounced deceased at the scene. Five other victims were taken to area hospitals. One victim, identified as a 15-year-old male, was pronounced deceased at the hospital.
Officials say a seventh victim walked into the hospital in stable condition.
Police confirmed that among the victims were one 16-year-old, one 17-year-old, two 19-year-olds and one aged 21.
At the scene, police discovered multiple firearms.
IMPD is actively investigating this incident. No arrests directly linked to this have been made.
“I don’t know how many times we have to say it - we are not your children's keepers! You are!” said IMPD Chief Christopher Bailey during a presser on Facebook Live.
Mayor Hogsett, Chief Bailey and other community leaders held a press conference Saturday afternoon to provide updates and how they plan to move forward.
Mayor Hogsett pledged his support to IMPD to provide any resources he can to curb the youth violence.
In the press conference, Chief Bailey shared some of the changes that will be implemented moving forward:
- Camera technology strategically placed in areas of concern
- Additional police resources downtown for the foreseeable future
- ISP Troopers placed downtown throughout the summer
- Restrictions on food trucks that are open after bars and clubs close, keeping people downtown after hours
- Working with local community groups for curfew enforcement
Other leaders have spoken out against the violence.
Rick Snyder, Indianapolis Fraternal Order of Police President
STATEMENT FROM FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE after Mass Shooting in Downtown Indianapolis
— Rick Snyder (@RickFOP86) July 5, 2025
⭕️ We Warned of the approaching storm, politicians in charged shrugged it off…the storm arrived
“Once again our elected leaders are MIA…it’s shameful.” #CircleCityChaos pic.twitter.com/Y411dDmhun
Pastor Malachi Walker, Young Men, Inc. Director
What happened in Indianapolis last night is unacceptable.
Gun culture is out of control. Two people were killed. A child is dead. More are wounded. We had kids carrying assault rifles downtown. This is not normal, and we cannot allow it to become routine. Kids need structure and oversight. Not dropped off without supervision.
I support Chief Bailey’s urgency and I agree: it’s time for tough conversations. But let’s be clear. While parents MUST step up and take accountability for their children, it’s not just about blaming parents. This is about an entire culture that glorifies violence, makes excuses, neglects prevention, and waits for tragedy before acting. It’s layered. It’s complex. And it’s killing our kids.
While it absolutely starts at home, the Marion County Prosecutor must hold those involved-yes, even juveniles-accountable to the fullest extent of the law. We cannot afford leniency when lives are being lost. Consequences must be real. Justice must mean something. A slap on the hand is not enough.
At Young Men, Inc., we’ve been doing the work for 31 years. And it works. We are saving and changing lives every single day. This year alone, we’ve mentored 30 new boys through our camp and ongoing programming. Thousands have come through our doors over three decades. We instill discipline. We teach character. We give them vision. We are showing opportunity and changing lives. But despite the impact, we struggle every year to fund our work. Enough with the excuses. If we want to stop these tragedies, it’s time to invest in what’s actually working.
We don’t need more blame; we need more responsibility. We need a community that refuses to normalize this violence and instead mobilizes around real solutions.
This moment demands more than outrage. It demands action.
Pastor David Greene, President, Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis
Maggie A. Lewis, Indianapolis City-County Council Majority Leader
Like many in our community, I, too, am sad and disheartened learning about the violent incidents that occurred downtown last night. Loss of life caused by gun violence at any age is tragic. There are no words when that victim is a child whose life has only begun. My thoughts and prayers are with the families whose lives will never be the same, and our community mourns your loss.
It is imperative that we unite as one city and support our youth leaders, community organizers, public safety officials, elected officials and all individuals and address this situation. To address the violence we’re witnessing throughout our city, we must distribute resources to support efforts, including but not limited to:
· Paying for downtown police overtime.
· Providing a minimum of three Emergency Response Group (ERG) squads on Friday and Saturday nights through the end of the summer.
· Maintain public safety presence in Broad Ripple and Castleton.
· Readdress the proper implementation of the Enforce Curfew Law
· Direct dollars (private and public) to have social action organizations work with police to de-escalate situations.
Indianapolis is our city, and it will take all of us to protect our youth, families, and neighborhoods. I look forward to working alongside community members interested in ensuring that all who visit our downtown and neighboring communities are safe.
