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‘Our children are hurting’: Peace walk rallies community against youth violence

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‘Our children are hurting’: Peace walk rallies community against youth violence


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More than 100 residents joined a peace walk Saturday on the city’s far east side to raise awareness and rally the community against the growing issue of youth gun violence in Indianapolis.

“Our children are hurting,” said Antonia Bailey, one of the participants. “They’re being raised by parents that are hurting and have no clue what to do.”

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Bailey knows that pain personally.

This week marks the fifth anniversary of the murder of her 16-year-old son, Nicholas, and 15-year-old daughter, Ashlynn. The two Lawrence North students were shot and killed by another teen in their home as they got ready for school on the morning of Aug. 23, 2019.

“We have to do better as a community with wrapping our arms around our children, because they’re our future,” Bailey told a group of marchers before they set out from the Boys & Girls Club near West 38th Street and North Post Road. “Right now, when I look at it, it looks real bleak. And when I look at our future generation that’s going to be taking over, I have so much hope that it’s not always going to be like this.”

The person who shot her children was himself only a child at the time. He is now serving a 40-year prison sentence.

“I made the decision to forgive and have then spoke life into that young man,” Bailey said.

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Although homicide totals have dropped since peaking in 2021, killings of people under the age of 18 have steadily risen in the past few years, according to data from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

Indianapolis police investigated 25 homicides during 2023 in which a person 17 years or younger was killed. Speedway and Lawrence police handled three additional youth homicides.

Those who participated in Saturday’s mile-and-a-half peace walk Saturday pledged to push back against that trend.

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“Oftentimes, the light in our community flickers because we see so much violence on the television and on the news,” said Pastor Darryl Webster of Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church and the Indianapolis Urban Pastors Coalition. “Today is a great example of the light shining through.”

“The source is deeper than the symptoms and we can’t treat it with just policies alone,” Webster said. “Policies are good, but that ain’t going to treat all of the symptoms. We also need people, and we need the spiritual component.”

A three-wheeled motorcycle group called the Indy 3s led the march. Among the group’s members is Denise Bonds, whose 25-year-old son De’Rell Brown was shot and killed at his apartment complex Jan. 25, 2021. His homicide remains unsolved.

“The hardest part is not having any closure,” said Bonds. Her Spyder motorcycle is covered in photographs of her son, a U.S. Army veteran. The dates of his birth and death are written on her helmet.

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“Please think before you pull the trigger,” she said. “Please think of the devastation.”

The walk culminated with a community fair at Pathway Resource Center at Amber Woods Apartments. There were food trucks, a DJ and a bounce house. The fair included workshops on de-escalation, conflict resolution and mental health. Other services such as immunizations and dental care were also provided.

The event was sponsored by state Sen. La Keisha Jackson, who is CEO of Pathway Resource Center, and Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis, led by City-County Councilor Maggie Lewis. Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears, Marion County Public Health Department Virginia Caine, Indianapolis City-County Council President Vop Osili and multiple other city councilors also participated.



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Pirates farm report for April 18, 2026: Rafael Flores Jr. hits 1st homer in Indianapolis win

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Pirates farm report for April 18, 2026: Rafael Flores Jr. hits 1st homer in Indianapolis win


INDIANAPOLIS (Triple A, 6-14) thumped Omaha (Royals), 11-3. 1B Rafael Flores Jr. (.206) went 2 for 3 with a double, his first home run, two runs scored and three RBIs. LF Tyler Callihan (.239) went 3 for 4 with a double and his first homer, a two-run shot. DH Enmanuel Valdez (.273) went 2 for 4 with his first homer and three runs scored. RF Esmerlyn Valdez (.258) went 2 for 5 with two doubles and a run scored. SS Davis Wendzel (.269) went 1 for 3 with a double, two walks, two runs scored and two RBIs. RHP Carson Fulmer (2-0, 5.51) started, gave up three runs on three hits in five innings and earned the win. RHP Chris Devenski (1.50) and LHP Joe La Sorsa (3.24) each pitched two scoreless innings.

Next: Sunday at Omaha (Royals), 3:05 p.m.

ALTOONA (Double-A, 2-12) had two hits – both solo home runs – and beat Portland (Red Sox), 2-0. LHP Dominic Perachi (1-0, 1.80) started and went six innings, allowing three hits and two walks with three strikeouts. RHP Landon Tomkins (3.38) followed with two scoreless. RHP Jaycob Deese (3.00) worked the ninth for his first save. LF Titus Dumitru (.146) went 1 for 3 with his second homer. C Shawn Ross (.182) went 1 for 3 with his second homer.

Next: Sunday vs. Portland (Red Sox), 1 p.m.

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GREENSBORO (High-A, 10-4) lost 8-3 to Brooklyn (Mets). C Easton Carmichael (.273) went 2 for 4 with an RBI. RF Shalin Polanco (.250) went 1 for 3 with a stolen base and an RBI. 1B Jared Jones (.277) went 2 for 5 with a run scored. RHP Carlson Reed (0-1, 7.36) started, recorded one out and gave up four runs on two hits and four walks. RHP Jose Garces (3.60) pitched two scoreless innings.

Next: Sunday at Brooklyn (Mets), 2 p.m.

BRADENTON (Low-A, 5-9) allowed seven stolen bases in its 6-5 loss to Tampa (Yankees). CF Edward Florentino, starting a rehab assignment as he recovers from an ankle injury, went 1 for 3 with a walk, double and run scored. LHP Reinold Navarro (6.43) started and gave up three hits, four walks and two earned runs over three innings while striking out five. SS/1B Eddie Rynders (.128) went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. DH Edgleen Perez (.238) went 1 for 4 and drove in two runs. LF/CF Josh Tate (.208) went 2 for 5 with an RBI. 2B/SS Antonio Pimentel (.154) went 2 for 4 with a double. RHP Greiber Mendez (5.40) and RHP Noah Murdock (0-1, 9.00), who took the loss, each gave up two hits and one run in one inning. RHP Treyson Peters pitched the final three innings, allowing five hits, one earned run and one walk while striking out two.

Next: Sunday at Tampa (Yankees), noon

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The Zone Extra | April 18, 2026

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The Zone Extra | April 18, 2026


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — It was another busy week in high school sports in central Indiana and ‘The Zone Extra’ has it all covered.

Athlete of the week and Guerin Catholic senior outfielder Ian Taylor is off to a scorching hot start to the young season. Check out his interview as well as Guerin Catholic head coach Dave Schrage talk about Taylor’s success.

The Johnson County baseball tournament came to a close. See highlights from Center Grove’s tournament victory.

The 4A baseball coaches poll was released as well as the 3A softball coaches poll.

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The former Columbus North gymnastics coach, John Hinds, passed away at 88 years old.

Center Grove head softball coach Alyssa Coleman joins the show for a coaches corner conversation.

See highlights from the Colts Local Pro Day, featuring several former Hoosiers and Purdue’s Devin Mockobee.

Girls lacrosse is in the first season as an IHSAA emerging sport.

All of that, and more, can be found in the full The Zone Extra show above.

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Tornado watches issued for counties north and west of Indianapolis

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Tornado watches issued for counties north and west of Indianapolis


(WISH) — A tornado watch was issued until 3 a.m. EDT Saturday for counties northwest and west of Indianapolis, and into Illinois.

Indiana counties in the watch area are Boone, Carroll, Cass, Clay, Clinton, Elkhart, Fountain, Fulton, Howard, Kosciusko, La Porte, Marshall, Miami, Montgomery, Parke, Pulaski, Putnam, St. Joseph, Starke, Tippecanoe, Vermillion, Vigo, Wabash, Warren and White. The watch area includes the cities of Crawfordsville, Elkhart, Lafayette, Lebanon, South Bend, Terre Haute, and West Lafayette.

The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center has issued two watches in Indiana. The other one until midnight EDT Friday includes the Indiana counties of Benton, Jasper, Lake, Newton and Porter. That includes the city of Gary. That watch also extends into Illinois.

Storms on Friday night in central Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Minnesota led to dozens of confirmed tornado warnings. The storms in central Illinois has gusts up to 80 mph, and tornadoes embedded in heavy rain.

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An alert issued after 10:30 p.m. Friday from the National Weather Service at Indianapolis said, “A line of strong thunderstorms is nearing the state line with a history of widespread damaging winds and tornadoes. The line is expected to continue to produce damaging winds as it moves into Indiana with the potential for additional tornadoes. The line is then expected to gradually weaken as it moves further into the state.”



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