Indianapolis, IN
Man killed by IMPD had violent criminal history
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Surveillance video showing someone firing shots into a home was what eventually led to Thursday’s deadly police shooting in Indianapolis.
Just past 8 p.m. Jan. 5, across the street from an elementary school on the city’s east side, security camera video captured a pickup truck stop in the street. Moments later, a man can be heard yelling before opening fire at a house.
Court documents show the victim identified the shooter as Raphael Dekemper, who was killed by police on Thursday.
It wasn’t Dekemper’s first encounter with being violent.
In 1997, Dekemper was convicted of murder. He served 22 years before getting out in 2019.
Since then, his only run-ins with the law were speeding, and operating a vehicle while intoxicated until he was identified as the person who fired into a house.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department on Monday got a warrant for his arrest from Marion Superior Court 31. On Thursday, IMPD officers Dekemper him over on Brookside Parkway North. Police say Dekemper opened fire on police when asked to get out of the vehicle.
IMPD released pictures of a bullet hole in the hood of a police car.
Officers returned fire and killed Dekemper.
Police recovered a gun at the scene.
On Friday, IMPD was not commenting specifically about the shooting, but I-Team 8 learned more about the team that tried to arrest Dekemper. They’re known at the violence reduction team.
Commander Richard Riddle of the IMPD East District, said of the team, “They’re definitely the tip of the spear. They’re primary tasked with going after the worst of the worst. Those individuals that have a criminal history to include violent felonies that are carrying guns that are shooting guns at other people, taking other lives, and trying to take those individuals off the street.”
The violence reduction team has been around in some form for decades, but IMPD and the city have ramped up its use since 2020 to reduce gun violence in the city.
Riddle said, “Those units that are specifically targeting gun violence are going into situations where they know more often than not that individual that they’re trying to take into custody will be armed with a firearm and as we have seen across the past few months those individuals that are illegally possessing firearms are not afraid to then utilize that firearm against a uniformed police officer. So, it’s very scary. Our officers are doing a fantastic job.”
IMPD on Friday continued to investigate the police shooting that killed Dekemper.
Indianapolis, IN
Pacers Bikeshare hits 1 million rides since launch in 2014
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Pacers Bikeshare just recorded it’s 1 millionth ride since the program launch in 2014 according to a Thursday press release.
With the addition of two new programs, Pacers Bikeshare has seen significant growth in the past two years.
In 2024, they added the Indy Rides Free program with gives all Marion County Residents a free annual pass and free 30 minute rides in 2024.
In 2025, Pacers Bikeshare added stations at Butler University and created a Butler University pass which provides free access for Butler students, faculty and staff.
2025 was the most active in Pacers Bikeshare history with over 200,000 total rides.
Executive Director of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Kären Haley, said in a release, “Even with the cold and snow, Indy has embraced bikeshare as part of everyday life. More and more people are choosing bikeshare to commute, run errands, explore the city and stay active.”
Operated by Indianapolis Cultural Trail in partnership with the City of Indianapolis, Pacers Bikeshare provides a convenient, and sustainable transportation option throughout Indianapolis.
Indianapolis, IN
Homelessness census aims to guide resource allocation in Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention on Monday night was conducting its yearly homelessness census.
Volunteers took to the streets to count how many people in Indianapolis are experiencing homelessness. The count includes people living in shelters, transitional housing, and unsheltered locations.
The count is federally mandated and has been required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development since 2005.
Along with the count, volunteers carry clothing, hygiene items and other supplies.
Volunteer Aaron Shaw said, “Out there on the streets, they run into a lot of issues and a lot of chaos and problems. We just like to be out there to give them somebody to talk to, a bridge between them and the services that are needed.”
The data will be used for annual planning and to find which areas in the city need the most resources.
This story was created from a script aired on WISH-TV.
Indianapolis, IN
Crown Hill Cemetery event explores 150 years of obituaries in Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — David Reick, president of Crown Hill Cemetery and the Crown Hill Foundation, joined News 8 on Daybreak to discuss an event that’s taking place Thursday at Crown Hill Cemetery.
The event “Do Not Omit the Obit” focuses on the history of obituaries in Indianapolis as part of a speaker series. A discussion will be lead on the significance of obituaries as cultural artifacts, reflecting societal norms and changes more than 150 years.
The event will take place in the Gothic Chapel at 6 p.m., with fewer than ten tickets remaining for attendees interested in exploring how obituaries have evolved over the years, including their impact from technology and social media.
Reick noted that attendees will see examples of 150- to 200-year-old obituaries, which were once purely informational, now reflecting deeper societal changes. The discussion will dive into how memorialization has shifted from printed newspapers to lasting online tributes, particularly through platforms like Facebook, where obituaries are treated as living memorials.
Future topics in the speaker series include the role of ceremonial funeral teams, featuring discussions on funerals for notable figures such as former Vice President Dick Cheney and former President Jimmy Carter. Additionally, Reick mentioned upcoming talks on Civil War POW camps in Indianapolis and the conservation of Indiana’s landscape, emphasizing the diverse cultural and historical influences of the area. This is the second of five talks in the series.
Attendees interested in the event can still purchase tickets, which are selling for $10.
Remaining speaker series events are planned throughout the coming months, each exploring unique aspects of cultural history and memorialization.
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