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'This violence has to stop': Community pleads for peace after mass homicide on Adams Street

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INDIANAPOLIS — During a violent weekend across Indianapolis, the largest mass homicide in more than a decade saw five people and an unborn child dead.

The neighborhood near the scene on Adams Street is picking up the pieces as police and the community are searching for answers.

MORE INFO | IMPD: 5 adults, unborn child killed in 'largest mass casualty shooting in over a decade'

"This is a shock. This is a shocker, a big shocker," Janelle Pinkins said.

Pinkins said her husband was a dear friend to one of the victims.

"We came out to stand and just pray over the sight basically," Pinkins said.

This neighborhood is her home, from where her Nana lives to where she says she works. While speaking with WRTV Sunday, she said her family knew little to no information about what happened inside the home.

"Somebody knows something and they won't be able to sleep at night knowing what happened, happened," Pinkins said. "We have to come together as a community to figure out what's going on. Is it the funds? What is it that's causing you to behave in this manner? No one wins. No one wins at all. All you can do is just pray and stick together as a community."

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Five people and an unborn child were killed on Sunday, January 24, 2021, on Adams Street in Indianapolis. Police said this is the "largest mass casualty shooting in over a decade."

Information at another call involving a juvenile just blocks away on East 36th Street led police to the home on Adams Street, according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. This incident doesn't appear to be random.

"It's concerning, this violence has to stop," Pinkins said. "This violence has to stop. We are descendants of violence. It has to stop."

Rev. Allen Bailey, a community activist, arrived at the scene to help family and friends.

"We lost that neighborhood connection, that neighbor love connection, and if I can bring out that message to start going back to that, finding out what we can do for our neighbor, really that's elder or young, we have that responsibility," Bailey said.

Prayers began a press conference Sunday afternoon at IMPD's North District headquarters.

“Father the violence that we have seen over the course of the last 24 hours, has been nothing less than disturbing. It's been scary," Senior Pastor of Resurrection Community Church Orlando Jordan said.

Anyone with information is asked to call homicide detectives at 317-327-3475 or report tips anonymously to Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-TIPS (8477) or online.