INDIANAPOLIS — On Tuesday night the Butler-Tarkington neighborhood was quiet, a much different scene from the chaos early Monday morning when five people were shot, one of them fatally.
Indianapolis Police Department officers were called to the area near 38th Street and Graceland, after a house party turned violent after witnesses told police furniture was damaged inside the home.
Police say the home where the shooting took place was being rented out for parties.
The Labor Day shooting happened inside the patrol area of the Indianapolis Ten Point Coalition. Reverend Charles Harrison says over the years crime in the area has dropped so much that Ten Point reduced patrolling the neighborhood from four to just two days a week. Harrison says after the shooting those patrols will not be increased.
"Because we think this is an isolated incident where people came in and had a party it got out of hand and some shots were fired. I don't think there's any immediate threat to Butler-Tarkington where we gotta go back in there and increase the patrols," Harrison said.
People who live and work in the Butler-Tarkington neighborhood say the area has improved dramatically over the past few years. Bryant Brewer says what happened Monday does not define the area which he says is only getting better.
"This neighborhood is growing back dramatically. Everybody is getting along over here, it's a nice neighborhood, man. So much work going on over here, people is nice over here," Brewer said.
One of those people is probably Rita White who's lived on Graceland Avenue for 33 years. She says forget improved; the Butler-Tarkington neighborhood has always been great. She says the bad headlines from Monday were not caused by people who live there.
"Ain't a thing wrong with Butler-Tarkington and Butler-Tarkington ain't going [to] let it happen," White said. " If you ain't a homeowner, and they not, and you 21 you don't own nothing. You just coming over here to visit. You mess up where you visit, and then you go back home."]
Police say the shooting happened after the furniture was broken during the party, and the crowd was told to leave.
Police have not released any information about a suspect. If you know anything about the shooting you are asked to contact the police. You can remain anonymous by calling 317-262-TIPS.
