Indianapolis, IN
Fight over dinner leads to shooting at steakhouse; off-duty IMPD officer held suspect at gunpoint
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An argument between two men at a south side steakhouse Friday night led to one man being fatally shot and the other being held at gunpoint by an off-duty police officer, Indianapolis police say.
Randy Godfrey, 34, faces murder charges after he shot Robert “Blaine” Smith, 32, in the parking lot of Texas Roadhouse, 4335 Southport Crossing Dr. That steakhouse sits among several restaurants just southwest the I-65 interchange at Southport Road.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers were dispatched to the steakhouse just before 9 p.m. Friday to investigate a fight that later turned into a “person shot” run.
They arrived and found Smith suffering a gunshot wound, and Godfrey standing nearby with a holstered gun.
An off-duty officer at the scene told detectives they were eating dinner with their girlfriend when they heard yelling and saw Smith and Godfrey physically fighting on the restaurant floor. The officer later noticed Godfrey had a gun on his hip.
The officer ran over and helped two restaurant employees break up the fight. When the two men were separated, Smith walked out to the parking lot. The officer held Godfrey down, identifying themselves as an off-duty officer and asked their girlfriend to call 911.
According to the affidavit, Godfrey said, “‘I don’t give a (expletive) if you’re a police officer,’ then pushed the officer off, saying, ‘I’m going to shoot that (expletives).’”
Godfrey then ran out of the restaurant after Smith, the officer in tow. When the officer made it to the parking lot, they saw Godfrey walk towards a large vehicle, followed by multiple shots being fired.
The officer ran back inside to get their gun, then returned to the parking lot. They found Godfrey standing there with their firearm holstered.
The officer pointed their gun at Godfrey, telling him to lie on the ground.
Godfrey replied, “‘Just shoot me.’”
Police say the officer held Godfrey at gunpoint until first responders arrived and took him into custody.
Smith was found in critical condition with a gunshot wound. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
Godfrey’s fiancée told detectives at the restaurant that she, her sister, Godfrey, Smith, and Godfrey’s two kids were eating when Godfrey and Smith started arguing. Police did not say what the men were arguing about.
During the fight, Smith told Godfrey, “If you have a problem, say something.” Godfrey replied, “Well, let’s go outside.”
A physical fight broke out between the men before the officer got involved and the fight migrated outside. Godfrey’s fiancée saw Smith walk to her car, Godfrey following behind. She told police she then watched Godfrey shoot his gun downward, and Smith fell to the ground.
Godfrey asked, “Did I hit you?” Smith stood back up, then two more shots rang out. Smith fell back down.
Godfrey’s fiancée told police she ran out to Smith to put pressure on his wounds and to start CPR while they waited for medics.
Godfrey was arrested at the Texas Roadhouse and booked into the Marion County jail for a preliminary murder charge.
He was due in court for a hearing at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.
IndyGo serves 22,000 riders daily who rely on it for jobs and healthcare. The funding is voter-approved and separate from road budgets.
IndyGo paratransit services have possible 57% rate hike
Ryan Malone appreciates IndyGo paratransit rides. He has vision impairments and MS. He talks about the rides and the proposed 57% fare increase.
The April 14 letter titled, “Indianapolis doesn’t prioritize pothole repairs” raises a fair frustration shared by many drivers, but it misrepresents priorities, ignores dedicated funding streams, cherry-picks numbers and overlooks how IndyGo delivers broad, measurable value that helps roads and the city overall.
The 2026 Indianapolis city budget directs unprecedented funding to roads. The Department of Public Works’ most recent capital plan included $218 million for transportation infrastructure in 2026, in addition to key investments in additional snow removal and road maintenance equipment. DPW’s transportation capital funding has nearly tripled since 2016. Since that time, the city has resurfaced 1,279 lane miles and strip-patched 1,169 more.
The city is prioritizing basics; roads got a massive boost even with tighter revenues.
The state funding formula has disadvantaged Indianapolis by using two-lane road mileage and ignoring urban complexity. But House Enrolled Act 1461 shifts to a lane-mile formula and provides $50 million extra annually to Marion County — and state law restricts those funds to construction and reconstruction of local streets.
There are several points aimed at IndyGo that are worth correcting and adding important context the public should understand about this critical city service.
The claim that IndyGo’s $432 million budget “could go a long way toward streets” is the most misleading. The 0.25% income tax was voter-approved in 2016 — with nearly 60% voting yes — specifically and exclusively for public transit. These locally raised dollars leverage up to a 400% federal match, multiplying their impact several times over and ensuring Indianapolis captures funding that would otherwise go elsewhere. Diverting them would break a voter promise.
The “less than 2% uses the bus” stat is a classic distortion. IndyGo’s 2025 ridership included 6.7 million trips, or nearly 22,000 riders Monday through Friday. Transit serves disproportionately low-income, senior, disabled and car-free residents who rely on it for jobs, healthcare and school. It isn’t a luxury — it’s mobility infrastructure.
Public transit isn’t in competition with roads; it complements them. Every $1 invested in public transit generates $5 in broader economic activity. The Red Line alone delivered more than $7 per $1 invested, and IndyGo’s BRT network has already attracted more than $1.2 billion in corridor development.
By completion of the Blue Line, IndyGo will have paved more than 90 miles of Indy streets and built or repaired more than 1,300 ADA ramps. Nearly 7 million riders take cars off the road — fewer vehicles mean less congestion and less wear-and-tear on pavement, directly reducing potholes.
Potholes are real, but scapegoating IndyGo distracts from the actual balanced progress underway. Indianapolis is a world-class city with a great future, and the best is yet to come.
Richard Wilson is treasurer of the IndyGo Board of Directors.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WISH) — Purdue University has received a $20 million commitment from the Ricks Family Foundation to establish the Purdue Institute for Healthcare Systems Innovation at the Indianapolis campus.
The institute in the Mitch Daniels School of Business aims to improve health care efficiency and effectiveness, the university said in a news release issued Wednesday afternoon.
Dr. Christina Ricks and her husband, David A. Ricks, the chair and CEO of pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Co., are the primary leaders of the foundation.
James “Jim” Bullard, a dean for the Daniels School of Business, said in the release, “Considering the health care situation in the U.S. today, there is a clear need for rigorous, market-informed research that challenges conventional thinking and drives new solutions. This institute will allow Purdue to lead that work and make a lasting difference.”
As Purdue works to develop its relatively new Indianapolis campus, the university recently announced that plans for a 12-story apartment building on recently acquired canal property in Indianapolis are now on hold as the university develops its campus, Mirror Indy reported.
This story was formatted for WISHTV.com using AI-assisted tools. Our editorial team reviews and edits all content published to ensure it meets our journalistic standards for accuracy and fairness.
INDIANAPOLIS — A woman was critically injured in a shooting on the northeast side of Indianapolis Tuesday night.
According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, officers were called to the 5500 block of East 41st Street around 8:45 p.m. to investigate a shooting. When police arrived at the scene, they located an adult female with injuries consistent with gunshot wounds.
Per IMPD, the victim was transported from the the scene to a local hospital in critical condition. Police reported that hospital staff later provided them with an update that indicated the victim remains in critical condition.
Investigators believe the shooting occurred inside a residence on 41st Street. One shell casing was found in the front yard of that residence near its driveway. Police do not believe that stray shell casing is related to the shooting in any way.
Law enforcement detained a person of interest during its investigation of the shooting. IMPD has not yet provided any of the detainee’s identifying information like sex, age or name.
Police do not believe the shooting poses any ongoing threat to the public. Investigators are, however, still encouraging area residents to call IMPD at (317) 327-3475 or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at (317) 262-8477 to pass along any information they may have on the shooting.
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