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Indianapolis leaders credit reduced total of homicides in 2022, 2023 to gun strategy

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Indianapolis leaders credit reduced total of homicides in 2022, 2023 to gun strategy


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indianapolis government leaders on Thursday touted a 31% decrease in the number of criminal homicides in the city over the last two years.

Democrat Mayor Joe Hogsett said the decrease is due in part to the successes of the city’s three-year plan to reduce gun violence. “Those statistics mean, in real terms, equates to 81 lives having been saved,” he said.

During the same two years, the city noted a 20% decrease in the number of nonfatal shootings.

The leaders cited a strategy to reduce gun violence that was funded with $150 million from the American Rescue Plan Act, federal money set aside for recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The money was spent on new police technology and more officers, and shared with grassroots violence-prevention organizations.

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The National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform say a part of the city’s plan that has worked the best was focusing on preventing retaliation shootings. Every week, police analyze the people who are most likely to retaliate to a previous shooting.

David Muhammad, director of the institute, said, “Some of those individuals identified will have focused enforcement on them. I mentioned the 100 officers who are focused on this. Some of them (the individuals) haven’t done anything illegal but are making threats to retaliate for their friends’ shooting online, and they have the risk factors that say they might actually retaliate.”

When people haven’t committed a crime but threaten retaliation, the Indy Peace Fellowship steps in with on-the-street “peacemakers” funded through the plan.

Muhammad said, “The level of finding those individuals, engaging them, and getting them to agree to be in this fellowship to have a life coach for the next six, 12, 18 months that has been particularly successful.”

Outside of this plan, Hogsett said the community as a whole also deserves credit. “They are stepping up to provide jobs, mentorships, education, and other resources that contribute to that No. 1 crime deterrent: prosperity.”

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While the decrease is good, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department leader thinks there is still a long way to go. Chief Randal Taylor said, “We know that really our work is far from over. We’re going to have to really look at our youth violence. We’re going to have to look at how many children have access to firearms and how do we deal with that.”

The American Rescue Plan Act funding has dried up for the strategy, but the mayor says his office will work with the City-County Council to get more funding it in the years to come.



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Indianapolis, IN

Neighbors share concerns after young male dies in shooting on Indy’s northeast side

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Neighbors share concerns after young male dies in shooting on Indy’s northeast side


INDIANAPOLIS — A young man has died following a shooting on the northeast side of Indianapolis on Saturday night.

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Neighbors share concerns after young male dies in shooting on northeast side

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IMPD said it happened near the 3900 block of Rue Rabelais, which is an apartment complex off Binford Boulevard and 56th Street.

WRTV was in the surrounding neighborhood speaking with residents on Sunday, many of whom told us they were left saddened and worried following the incident.

“It just brings tears to my eyes,” Sheri Harley shared.

Harley has lived on Circle Boulevard, which is one street over from the complex, for more than 20 years.

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“We’re a very close-knit neighborhood,” Harley said. “I know everybody that lives here.”

That’s how she learned about what happened just down the road from her home on Saturday night.

“When I saw that there was police activity at the apartment complex, I contacted one of my neighbors, who lives across the fence,” Harley explained. “They didn’t really hear anything, but there were two young gentlemen who walked through their yard [that they got on camera].”

According to police, IMPD North District officers were dispatched to the 3900 block of Rue Rabelais around 7:19 p.m. Saturday on the report of a person shot. When officers arrived, they located a juvenile male near a playground suffering from injuries consistent with a gunshot wound.

The victim was taken to Riley Hospital in critical condition. IMPD confirmed the victim was pronounced deceased in the hospital.

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“There is no known danger to the public at this time,” IMPD Night Watch Captain Richard Ray said during a media briefing. “It appears by the basic, limited information that we have at this time that this was a targeted incident.”

It’s the latest incident involving juveniles to concern Indianapolis residents.

“I was raised where you respect one another,” Harley said. “You don’t always have to get along, but now they’re just pulling guns on one another and shooting.”

For neighbors like Harley, they just hope it doesn’t continue.

“Parents, please take care of your kids. Watch them… It’s very disheartening,” she stated.

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While we were out on Sunday, IMPD officers were going around asking neighbors to share any information they had about the incident.

“We’re asking any individual that might have been filming, that might have any doorbell cameras or anything like that to come forward and provide as much information as possible,” Ray said.

They have not yet identified any suspects in the case.

The Marion County Coroner’s Office (MCCO) will be assisting and will determine the exact manner and cause of death. The MCCO will release the decedent’s name once a proper next-of-kin notification has been made.

An investigation into this incident is underway. Anyone with information or doorbell footage is asked to reach out to IMPD Detective Christopher Williams at the IMPD Homicide Office at 317.327.3475 or e-mail the detective at Christopher.Williams4@indy.gov. Alternatively, they can call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317.262.8477 or (TIPS) to remain anonymous.

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Casey Zanowic is the In Your Community reporter for North Side Indy. She joined WRTV in July of 2025. Casey has a passion for storytelling and is ready to showcase impactful stories that make a difference in her community. Share your story ideas and important issues with Casey by emailing her at casey.zanowic@wrtv.com.





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HBCU ALL-STAR Game Experience

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HBCU ALL-STAR Game Experience


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HBCU ALL-STAR Game Experience

INDIANAPOLIS — At the 5th Annual HBCU All-Star Game Experience, organizers are bringing together student-athletes, civic leaders, and community advocates for a social justice-focused event in downtown Indianapolis.

The Social Justice & Civil Rights Luncheon and Panel Discussion is scheduled for Saturday, April 4, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Madam Walker Legacy Center on Indiana Avenue.

The event will focus on the intersection of sports, equity, and social change, with organizers aiming to inspire civic engagement and community leadership among attendees. Participants will include HBCU student-athletes, coaches, and local leaders.

Two panel discussions are planned. The first will center on civic engagement, public safety, and police accountability, examining how voting, public policy, and community involvement shape law enforcement practices and justice systems. The second panel will focus on youth, education, and workforce development, highlighting ways to expand opportunities and strengthen career pathways for the next generation.

Organizers say the luncheon is designed to go beyond conversation and encourage action, using the influence of HBCUs to promote leadership and long-term community impact.

In addition to the discussions, Indianapolis teen DJ Reese Rayford will provide live entertainment. She has performed at several prominent venues across the city and is also scheduled to appear during other HBCU All-Star Game weekend events.

The luncheon is free and open to the public, though registration is encouraged. The event is part of a broader series of activities tied to the HBCU All-Star Game, which takes place during college basketball’s championship weekend and highlights talent from Historically Black Colleges and Universities while promoting education, economic empowerment, and social impact.
The event will focus on the intersection of sports, equity, and social change, with organizers aiming to inspire civic engagement and community leadership among attendees. Participants will include HBCU student-athletes, coaches, and local leaders.

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Two panel discussions are planned. The first will center on civic engagement, public safety, and police accountability, examining how voting, public policy, and community involvement shape law enforcement practices and justice systems. The second panel will focus on youth, education, and workforce development, highlighting ways to expand opportunities and strengthen career pathways for the next generation.

Organizers say the luncheon is designed to go beyond conversation and encourage action, using the influence of HBCUs to promote leadership and long-term community impact.

In addition to the discussions, Indianapolis teen DJ Reese Rayford will provide live entertainment. She has performed at several prominent venues across the city and is also scheduled to appear during other HBCU All-Star Game weekend events.

The luncheon is free and open to the public, though registration is encouraged. The event is part of a broader series of activities tied to the HBCU All-Star Game, which takes place during college basketball’s championship weekend and highlights talent from Historically Black Colleges and Universities while promoting education, economic empowerment, and social impact.



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Mt. Vernon boys basketball wins program’s first state title

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Mt. Vernon boys basketball wins program’s first state title


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Mt. Vernon High School boys basketball team has accomplished something it hasn’t done before – win a state championship.

The Marauders beat Crown Point 52-50 on Saturday night in the IHSAA 4A State Championship Game inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse. It’s the program’s first-ever state title.

Mt. Vernon senior guard Luke Ertel, the favorite to win Indiana Mr. Basketball, finished with a game-high 26 points. He also finished with 10 rebounds.

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