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Volunteers building home for family of Adams Street mass shooting victims

new home for adams street family.png
Posted at 8:30 PM, Aug 03, 2021
and last updated 2021-08-03 20:32:49-04

INDIANAPOLIS — A new home in Indianapolis is starting to take shape for the family of the victims in the mass shooting on Adams Street.

On Tuesday, about 150 employees from the Marion County Public Health Department, Eskenazi Health and Indianapolis EMS worked alongside Habitat for Humanity to build a house.

The home is being built for James Allen, his mother and three children. Allen's brother, Raymond Childs Jr. and Child's wife were killed in January on Adams Street. Allen and his mother are now caring for three of the couple's children.

"It was a real personal thing that happened, and people just helping because they have time," Allen said. "I really appreciate that, I am very, very, grateful, because they came out to help my family, and we really needed the help. I'm sure they didn't know how much they helping."

The volunteers worked Tuesday on the house in the parking lot of the Health and Hospital Corporation. The panels the volunteers built will be moved to the actual home site next week.

"It is breathtaking, it makes you feel really good to know that you're actually able to help someone," Tamara Franklin, a volunteer, said.

The home is expected to be dedicated in November, in time for Thanksgiving.

Raymond Ronald Lee Childs III, 17, was charged in January with six counts of murder, one count of attempted murder and one count of carrying a handgun without a license. The case will begin in adult court.

Raymond Childs III shot and killed Rita Childs, 13, Elijah Childs, 18, Kezzie and Raymond Childs Jr., both 42 and Kiara Hawkins, 19, according to court documents and the Marion County Coroner's Office. Hawinks was several months pregnant at the time of the shooting and the unborn child also died.

Raymond Childs III shot and killed them and shot and wounded a 15-year-old after he got into an argument with his father because he left home without permission and was told he would be in trouble "later," according to the probable cause affidavit. The 15-year-old was shot as he ran away from the home and survived.

A status conference is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Sept. 22, according to online court records.