Two injured in shooting, suspect injured in exchange of gunfire with IMPD

INDIANAPOLIS — Two people were injured in a shooting and the suspect was injured in an exchange of gunfire with officers at an Indianapolis apartment complex Sunday morning.

According to IMPD PIO Grace Sibley, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police officers were called to the 4500 block of East Pleasant Run Parkway North Drive just before noon for a report of a disturbance with a gun at an apartment complex.

As officers arrived they observed a large group outside of a residence at the apartment complex and heard several shots being fired, Sibley said.

Sibley said the officers encountered a male subject with a gun who pointed the firearm at them and fired at least one shot. The officers returned fire, striking the suspect. The suspect was then taken into custody. The suspect did have a firearm when he was taken into custody.

No officers were injured.

Sibley said detectives are working to determine how many officers were involved and how many shots were fired by both the officers and the suspect.
After the initial confrontation with the suspect, police located an additional two women who had sustained gunshot wounds prior to their arrival. Both adults were transported to the hospital. Their conditions are unknown at this time, but they are expected to survive. The suspect taken into custody for firing at officers is currently a suspect in the other shootings but has not been charged at this time.

Sibley said an internal and a criminal investigation will both be conducted, as is standard procedure with officer-involved shootings.

IMPD began rolling out bodycams to officers this summer. Sibley says the initial deployment of new equipment began in the east, north, and downtown districts. The officers involved in the shooting were all from the southeast district and were not wearing bodycams at the time of the shooting.

The incident remains under investigation, detectives are interviewing witnesses and reviewing surveillance video to determine exactly what happened before and after officers arrived.
Summary & Timeline of Events from IMPD:

• On September 21, 2020, at approximately 11:54 a.m., Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Southeast District officers were called to the 4500 block of Pleasant Run Parkway N. Drive on a report of a disturbance.
• At approximately 11:58 a.m., IMPD officers arrived on the scene at 4500 Pleasant Run Parkway N. Drive. Both were in full IMPD uniform and drove fully marked police vehicles.
• Upon arrival, officers found a disturbance involving approximately 20 people with weapons, some armed with guns, pepper spray, scissors, and a metal pipe. As officers approached the disturbance, they encountered multiple shots being fired in multiple directions. Through the investigation, it has been determined that the disturbance stemmed from a social media disagreement.
• Officers encountered a male (person #1) involved in the disturbance. Person #1 observed the arrival of the officers and fled to a nearby parked vehicle, visibly carrying a firearm.
• As officers approached the vehicle, they gave verbal commands.
• Person #1 pointed a weapon at the officers.
• One officer fired his weapon at person #1, striking him.
• Assisting officers apprehended person #1 without any further incident and provided medical aid. Person #1 was transported by ambulance to Methodist Hospital in stable condition.
• Two female victims were located, both with injuries consistent with gunshot wounds. Officers provided medical aid to the victims. They were transported to Eskenazi Hospital in stable condition.
• Assisting officers apprehended a female (person #2) who had been involved in the shooting, without incident.
• Through the investigation, detectives have determined the two victims were shot by person #1 and person #2 as officers first arrived on the scene. Other weapons including scissors, metal pipe, pepper spray, and a metal pipe were also used by individuals during the disturbance.

• A handgun was recovered from the vehicle where person #1 was located.
• An additional gun was recovered from inside an apartment. This gun is believed to have been used to shoot one of the female victims.
• Person #1 has since been released from Methodist Hospital and preliminarily arrested for aggravated battery.
• The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office will make all final charging decisions related to the incident.
• The IMPD Critical Incident Response Team is handling the criminal investigation. An Internal Affairs investigation is also ongoing.
• The officer who fired his weapon is currently off work on administrative leave as is standard procedure in these incidents.
• IMPD is in the process of deploying body-worn cameras to beat officers and street supervisors. Deployment is ongoing to officers on East, North, and Downtown districts. The first arriving officers were assigned to the Southeast district, which has not yet begun body-worn camera deployment. An assisting officer from East District was equipped with a body-worn camera, which was activated.