Indianapolis, IN

Man, 45, facing three counts of arson in IndyGo bus fire

Published

2 years ago

April 30, 2024

Man, 45, facing three counts of arson in IndyGo bus fire

The man accused of setting an IndyGo bus on fire last week was found with two lighters and smelled like “ignitable liquid” when he was arrested about a quarter mile from the scene, according to court documents.

The bus was engulfed in flames at a stop on the north side of Indianapolis near the intersection of 38th Street and Meridian Streets on the morning of April 24.

The 45-year-old man taken into custody in connection with the arson was located at a McDonald’s restaurant down 38^th Street.

There were four people on the bus, including the driver. The bus driver said all passengers evacuated through the middle door of the vehicle. Indianapolis Fire Department officials said two passengers were transported to Eskenazi Hospital to treat slight injuries afterwards.

Investigators used survelliance footage and information from the bus driver to make an arrest, according to a probable cause affidavit for the suspect’s arrest.

IndyGo had cameras inside the bus and at the bus stop shelter. The man arrested at the McDonald’s had the same clothing on as the man who set the bus ablaze in the video, the affidavit reads.

The video showed the man getting on the bus at the transit center in downtown Indianapolis around 6:45 a.m. He was carrying a clear, plastic milk jug with a brown liquid inside.

About 20 minutes later, the video showed the man on the bus lighting a piece of paper on fire then blowing it out. He then moved to a seat closer to the bus’ exit and pretended to drink from the milk jug, according to the affidavit.

Previous coverage: IndyGo bus fire at 38th and Meridian ends in arson arrest

At about 7:10 a.m., as the bus was approaching the stop, the video showed the man pouring the liquid out of the jug then lighting paper on fire and throwing it toward the liquid on the floor of the bus, the affidavit reads.

The liquid ignited into a large ball of fire, the video showed. The bus driver told investigators he had stopped the bus and was walking to the back to ask the man what was in the jug when the man started the fire, according to the affidavit.

The passenger who started the fire had ridden the bus a few other times in the week prior, the bus driver stated. The driver identified the man detained at McDonald’s as the arsonist, the affidavit reads.

The bus was a 2018 2018 BYD all-electric bus and the damage from the fire cost IndyGo $2.1 million, investigators learned.

Demarcus McCloud was arrested in connection with the arson. He is charged with two counts of arson as well as arson resulting in bodily injury, court records show.

McCloud has faced charges in several other criminal cases filed in Marion County in the past five years, including several drug-related cases. An attorney for McCloud was not yet listed in online court records before publication of this article.

McCloud is currently in custody at Marion County’s Adult Detention Center, but prosecutors have filed a motion asking he be ordered to stay away from all IndyGo buses and stations if he were to be released before a trial.

Prosecutors also filed a motion requesting a greater than standard bond for McCloud.

“Defendant is a risk to the safety of the community, due to the nature of the allegations against him in this case,” prosecutors wrote in that motion.

Online court records were not yet updated with scheduling information on the next hearing in the case before publication of this article.

Contact Jake Allen at jake.allen@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jake_Allen19.

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Indianapolis, IN

Anti-war protest sparks in Indianapolis amid US-Iran conflict

Published

2 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Anti-war protest sparks in Indianapolis amid US-Iran conflict

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – More than a dozen protesters gathered at Military Park. In a dramatic escalation, the US and Israel engaged in military strikes against Iran and protesters are upset, including veteran Lucas Lee.

“I know what it’s like to be on the edge, potentially going somewhere where your life is at risk. And I believe this war is something we shouldn’t be fighting in. It’s important to stand up, because not only is standing up the right thing to do, but it could potentially save lives.”

Protesters held signs that read ‘Hands off Iran’ in front of the corner of West and New York intersection.
Several cars honked in support. Democratic City County Councilor Jesse Brown attended as well.

IPS School Teacher Noah Leininger organized the Anti-Iran War Rally. “The United States spends 1 trillion dollars on war every single year. While there are massive unmet needs right here in our own communities. People need jobs, healthcare, housing, and schools. And instead our government spends a trillion dollars every year to go and bomb elementary school age girls,” he said.

Iranian officials say the U.S. and Isreal hit a girl’s primary school in southern Iran killing at least 115 people.

The US strikes have not only created tension in the Middle East, but also here at home.
Mark Oakley who supports military action Iran, confronted the anti-war protesters. “Freedom for Iranian people, freedom for Americans. Freedom for everybody, but this [protest] is not it. When you’re debating about innocent people getting killed. You are debating the wrong thing.”

Additional police were called in to de-escalate the situation.

Chris Gomez, attended the protest because he wanted to take action. “Trump ran on a platform called the party of peace. That’s what Republicans run their policy on a party of peace, but look where we are now.”

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Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis Opera’s free concert spotlights influential Black composers

Published

14 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Indianapolis Opera’s free concert spotlights influential Black composers

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indianapolis Opera will host a free concert in honor of Black History Month Saturday night at 6 p.m. to celebrate the legacy and artistry of Black composers. The event features a range of spirituals, contemporary art songs, and operatic works performed a cappella.

Lyndsay Moy, the director of education, outreach, branding and design for Indianapolis Opera, said the event is designed to keep this specific music accessible to the public.

Resident artist Ian Williams, describes the concert as a mix of traditional repertoire and new songs. The artists will perform without microphones or instrumental accompaniment. “All of this is just straight out of our voices, so there’s no microphones,” Williams said. “We’re just creating the sound ourselves and putting it into a space, so it’s a little bit of, a little bit of breathing, a little bit of extra work there, yes.”

“So many composers tonight have been so influential in the broader vocal canon and it’s important and wonderful for us to be able to offer this kind of concert for free to our community to keep this kind of music accessible and more importantly to feature these fabulous artists like Ian so much talent,” Moy said.

Williams noted that the concert allows the organization to celebrate classic composers who were not well known during their own time. “It’s very cool because we get to celebrate some of classic composers all the way back to William Grant Steele, who was one of the who wrote operas back in the day, even during the time of Porgy and Bess, but he wasn’t, it wasn’t well known,” Williams said.

One of the featured pieces is the traditional spiritual “Fix Me Jesus,” which was arranged for the University of Michigan choir. Williams said the arrangement by Stacey Gibbs maintains the traditional spiritual style while adding rich harmonies.

While formal tickets for the event are currently sold out, those interested in attending can email tickets@indyopera.org to be added to a waitlist.

Check out the video above to hear a sneak peak of the Indianapolis Opera!

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