Indianapolis, IN
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.
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.”
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.
EUGENE – Former Oregon Duck and current defensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts, DeForest Buckner, is rising in the record books. The former Duck has established himself as one of the most dominant interior defenders in the NFL, and his impact on the Colts has been nothing short of extraordinary.
Buckner is just one sack away from breaking Ellis Johnson’s franchise record for most sacks in Colt history with 32.5 Sacks. While Johnson’s tenure with the Colts lasted seven seasons, Buckner is on track to beat this record in just his fifth year with the Colts.
His impact extends far beyond sacks. Buckner has already solidified his position as the Colts’ all-time leader in quarterback hits for defensive tackles with 87 total quarterback hits. Buckner is also on the cusp of claiming the crown for passes defended by a defensive lineman with 16 passes defended, third among Colts defensive linemen.
The defensive tackle’s ability to disrupt plays is evident in his tackles for loss. Buckner’s 42 tackles for loss places him fifth on the Colts’ all-time list. This season, Buckner has the chance to move to third in Tackles For Loss for the Colts behind Freeney and Mathis, passing Chad Bratzke and Raheem Brock with 4 more in the 2024 season. Buckner’s 281 total tackles and 166 solo tackles rank him third among Colts defensive tackles.
While Buckner’s achievements are more than impressive, it is important to note that sacks did not officially start being counted until 1982, nearly 30 years after the Colts became a franchise in 1953. Colts legends such as Art Donovan, Gene Lipscomb, and John Dutton played before sacks became an officially recorded statistic. Nonetheless, Buckner’s impact in the modern era is undeniable. His ability to command double teams creates opportunities for teammates to make plays is invaluable.
Buckner’s journey to the NFL began at the University of Oregon, where he played from 2012 to 2015. In 2015, Buckner was recognized as the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. He finished second on the team in tackles with 83 while also earning recognition as the team’s defensive Most Outstanding Player. Buckner was also awarded the prestigious Morris Trophy, an award voted on by opposing Pac-12 linemen.
As Buckner continues his Colts career, the possibility of breaking more franchise records is large. His combination of talent, work ethic, and leadership makes him a cornerstone of the team’s defense. Buckner is solidifying his status as one of the greatest defensive tackles in franchise history.
An innovative technology company that enhances sound at live sporting events is looking to grow its operations in Indiana.
Valtteri Salomaki, co-founder and CEO of EDGE Sound Research, says his company is building end-to-end audio infrastructure that allows users to control how they hear live events. The new technology, he says, lets users enjoy real-world experiences through heightened sound.
Salomaki says the technology can be used at concerts, live sporting events, and at home. EDGE Sound Research works with sound from capture to reproduction. Salomaki calls it “a new way to create sound.”
The new technology also allows the user to turn materials, like walls, couches, or seat cushions, into sound by manipulating vibrations. Once the hardware is attached to a material, the user can hear sound coming from it. Salomaki says this will allow event-goers to “feel what the performer feels.”
Salomaki brought his idea to the Rally Innovation Conference pitch competition last year and walked away with a cash prize that allowed him to expand his research and development and create a new partnership with the Indiana Pacers.
Initially, he was just looking to network and share how his product could impact the Indiana economy, but Salomaki says the Rally Innovation Conference was crucial to the growth of his business. Since then, he has been able to create new partnerships and is now focused on building out the commercial arm of his business in Indiana.
INDIANAPOLIS — A celebration of Black LGBTQ+ pride was on full display on Monument Circle Saturday.
The BLQ+ Pride fest brought out hundreds of people as an opportunity to celebrate people of color who identify as LGBTQ+.
The celebration had vendors, queer health support organizations and entertainment.
WRTV
According to the Human Rights campaign, over 80 percent of black LGBTQ+ youth say they have experienced homophobia or transphobia in the black community.
Organizers hope the event serves as a reminder to queer people of color that they have a community in the city of Indianapolis.
WRTV
“Black pride is important because black LGBTQ people need safe spaces to feel loved and celebrated in the State of Indiana,” President of Indiana Pride of Color Belinda Drake said.
The Human Rights campaign also says that racism is an issue in the LGBTQ+ community.
Nearly 75 percent of black queer youth say they have experienced racism in the queer community.
Indiana Pride of Color is working to improve the quality of life for Indiana LGBTQ+ BIPOC communities.
Learn more about the Indiana Pride of Color organization, here.
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