Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay found ‘unresponsive’ inside home last month: police docs
CARMEL, Ind. (WXIN) – Emergency responders found Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay unresponsive and laboring to breathe when called to his home in Carmel, Indiana, last month in what a police report logged as a suspected “overdose.”
According to records from the Carmel Police Department obtained via an Access to Public Records Act (APRA) request by Nexstar’s WXIN, emergency responders were dispatched around 4:30 a.m. on Dec. 8 to Irsay’s home to “assist fire [officials] with a male that was unresponsive, breathing, but turning blue.” That male, the report indicated, was 64-year-old Irsay.
The narrative said someone found Irsay had fallen in the bathroom; he was moved to a bed and was unresponsive. Irsay struggled to breathe, the report said.
“Irsay was unconscious with abnormal breathing (agonal breathing), a weak pulse, and he was cold to the touch,” the responding officer wrote in the report.
One of the officers attempted to wake Irsay with a sternum rub, a type of pain stimulus, but he remained unresponsive. An officer gave him naloxone, commonly known by its trade name Narcan, before medics arrived; he had a slight response to that, the report said. Naloxone is used to combat overdoses from opiates.
The officers were about to use an AED (automated external defibrillator) to shock Irsay’s heart, but paramedics soon took over and Irsay was taken to an area hospital.
“At this time, it is unknown what Mr. Irsay had ingested prior to our arrival,” an officer wrote in the report, which logged the incident as an “overdose.”
The report noted Irsay had been prescribed a number of medications. The prescriptions were redacted in documents provided as part of the APRA request. The documents also indicated that body cameras recorded the incident.
Irsay was seen at the Pittsburgh Steelers game on Dec. 16, but he’s made few public appearances since. The Colts said last week that he was “being treated for a severe respiratory illness.” As a result, he skipped a planned performance of the Jim Irsay Band in Los Angeles.
The Colts said Irsay was “receiving excellent care” and looked forward to “returning to the stage as soon as possible.”
The team provided an additional statement on Wednesday when asked about Irsay’s health.
“Mr. Irsay continues to recover from his respiratory illness. We will have no further comment on his personal health, and we continue to ask that Jim and his family’s privacy be respected.”
Irsay has been open in the past about his struggles with addiction.
In 2002, Irsay admitted he had an addiction to painkillers that started in 1995 after rumors of a federal investigation swirled. He said several operations resulted in chronic pain and that he had sought treatment for his problems.
In a recent interview with HBO’s “Real Sports,” Irsay told the production he had been to rehab at least 15 times and recalled a previous overdose where he nearly died.
“I was trying to detox myself, and I mixed multiple drugs that I didn’t know anything about. So all of a sudden, I start slurring my words. And then code blue, I stop breathing,” Irsay said. “And they revive me and the doctor goes, ‘Jim, you’re one lucky man because I had virtually signed the death certificate.’”
In 2014, Carmel police stopped Irsay for driving erratically. In the car, they found prescription drugs and more than $29,000 in cash. A toxicology report later revealed Irsay had oxycodone, hydrocodone and a drug used to treat anxiety in his system.
In September 2014, Irsay pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count, was fined by the NFL and served a six-game suspension.
Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
ICYMI: Top 5 IndyStar business stories in May 2026
A busy month at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway reignited debates about hotels and the downtown heliport. Plus, Eli Lilly celebrated 150 years.
May came and went, and with it, we saw the closest Indianapolis 500 finish in history, the 150th anniversary of Eli Lilly and a contested primary election day.
There’s also been some movement in retail news ahead of the summer shopping season. On the north side, a new women’s clothing store opened while a piercing studio set up shop in Speedway. Meanwhile, an indoor children’s play place opened on the near north side.
Read on for four spots that recently opened and one in Broad Ripple that said farewell.
Openings
Monkee’s
8659 River Crossing Blvd., monkeesofindianapolis.com, opened in March
Monkee’s of Indianapolis, a high-end women’s clothing store, opened recently on the north side in the Shops at River Crossing near the Fashion Mall. The brand Monkee’s started in the South three decades ago and has since grown to nearly 70 locations. In Indianapolis, Missy Llewellyn and Whitney Schmitt started the franchise to bring the clothing brand to the Circle City.
The Nest Play Cafe
515 E 22nd St Suite 101, indynestplaycafe.com, opened early May
The Nest Play Cafe opened at the corner of Central Avenue and 22nd Street, offering an indoor space for parents and caregivers to bring their children to play. Caregivers can book 90-minute play sessions for $15 per child over the age of one. Tickets for additional siblings run $10. The cafe sells coffee and snacks, too.
Open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to noon. Closed Tuesdays.
Forget Me Not Piercing Studio
5324 W. 16th St., jessflowerspiercings.square.site, opened May 27
A new piercing studio opened in Speedway at the end of May just days after the Indianapolis 500. Forget Me Not Piercing offers traditional lobe, helix and conch piercings along with nostril and septum piercings. Artist Jess Flowers opened the one-woman shop on 16th Street.
Open Sunday and Thursday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Black Orchid Barbers Fountain Square
1201 Prospect St. Suite 100, blackorchidbarbers.com, opened in May
Black Orchid, a local barbershop known for its sharp haircuts with a side of humor, opened its Fountain Square spot, marking the company’s seventh brick-and-mortar location. Walk-ins are welcome but Black Orchid recommends grabbing a time slot online for your preferred service.
Open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closures
Vitality IV Bar
6302 Guilford Ave., vitalityivbar.com
An IV-wellness spot in Broad Ripple shut its doors last month. Vitality IV Bar was located next to the Thieves cocktail lounge, formerly the Broad Ripple Starbucks location, before it went out of business.
Vitality IV still operates an Indianapolis-area location on Mass Ave downtown at 749 Massachusetts Ave where customers can book a variety of infusions with vitamins.
See a store opening or closing near you? Contact IndyStar reporter Alysa Guffey at alysa.guffey@indystar.com.
Forty-one names comprised the 11th layer of Springer’s “The Forgiving Sea VI,” an interactive painting that invites people to wr
Elizabeth Gabriel, Mirror Indy
(MIRROR INDY) — The Garfield Park Conservatory will host multiple family-friendly events throughout June. The events include plant shows, kid’s story time and Dollar Menu Night, which allows residents to harvest and eat veggies from a community garden.
Events at the Garfield Park Conservatory, 2505 Conservatory Drive, range in price and some require advance registration.
The Indianapolis Bonsai Club will have displays and answer questions about a variety of bonsai. Vendors will have items for purchase.
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 6, 1-5 p.m. June 7
🎟️ $7 per person, $15 per family (maximum of two adults per family)
Preschoolers ages 2-5 can participate in nature-themed storytime and crafts.
🗓️ 10-11 a.m. June 9
🎟️ $6 per child
Residents of all ages can harvest and eat veggies from Blakes’ Garden. Advance registration is preferred.
🗓️ 6-7 p.m. June 10
🎟️ $1 per person
Focused on ages 2-8, participants will listen to a nature-themed story and explore Blakes’ Garden. Attendees will relocate to a classroom if there’s inclement weather.
🗓️ 10 a.m. June 12
🎟️ Free
Up to 15 neighbors ages 10 and up will learn to ferment kimchi. Registration is required.
🗓️ 1-2 p.m. June 13
🎟️ $15 per person
Kids ages 2-5 can plant and harvest crops in the Children’s Garden. Registration is required.
🗓️ 11 a.m. to noon June 24
🎟️ $6 per child
The Indiana Insectivores will display tropical and native Indiana predator plants. Plants will also be available for purchase. Those who attend the plant show will also have free entry to the Predatory Plants Presentation 1-2 p.m. June 27.
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 27, 1-5 p.m. June 28
🎟️ $7 per person, $15 per family (maximum of two adults per family)
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.
Mirror Indy reporter Elizabeth Gabriel covers the south side of Marion County. Contact her at elizabeth.gabriel@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X at @_elizabethgabs.
-
Boston, MA3 minutes agoWhat a World Cup ‘fan zone’ is and what Boston fans can expect in 2026
-
Denver, CO8 minutes agoDefensive lineman Jordan Miller has a tough battle to make the Broncos’ final 53-man roster
-
Seattle, WA15 minutes agoVIDEO: Mayor Wilson proposes renewing, expanding Seattle Transit Measure by doubling the sales-tax percentage that funds it.
-
San Diego, CA18 minutes agoMorning Report: Runoffs Largely Set
-
Milwaukee, WI23 minutes agoMPS staffer who got plea deal in slapping case had earlier incident
-
Atlanta, GA30 minutes ago19 new metro Atlanta restaurants opened in May, but 11 closed
-
Minneapolis, MN33 minutes agoMotorcyclist seriously injured in north Minneapolis hit-and-run
-
Indianapolis, IN38 minutes agoNew stores in Indianapolis include indoor kid’s playground, cafe
