Indianapolis, IN
Indy Democrats strategize ways to defeat state Senate Republican nemesis Aaron Freeman – Indianapolis Business Journal
Some Indianapolis Democrats are looking for a candidate, raising money and strategizing other ways to defeat a Republican state senator who has been a frequent thorn in their sides.
Aaron Freeman, a Senate Republican and former Indianapolis city-county councilor, has become known for frequent legislation that seeks to derail policies and plans implemented by Democrat-controlled city-county government in Indianapolis and its public transit agency, IndyGo.
Now a group of Democrats are seeking to unseat the south-side attorney as he tries to secure a third term. He faces no opposition in the May 7 Republican primary and no Democrat has yet filed to run in the primary.
About 40 people assembled Thursday night at Futuro, a pizza shop off of Washington Street, for a strategy session to help find a candidate that the Marion County Democratic Party could put on the ballot by the November election.
“We’re going to unseat Aaron Freeman,” newly-elected Indianapolis City-County Councilor Jesse Brown told the crowd. “And I promise you we have the power to do that regardless of the money that he’s got.”
In addition to defeating the two-term senator, the group said they also want to stop his pending legislation that would bar IndyGo from moving ahead with plans to establish bus-only lanes on Washington Street for the planned Blue Line.
Part of the plan is to hound Republican state senators with letters in support of dedicated bus lanes for the Blue Line, which IndyGo has said would be jeopardized by Freeman’s legislation because it would endanger the project’s federal funding.
The group of Democrats also expressed frustration over Freeman’s efforts to undo what they see as other street-safety focused measures. Freeman has tried to undo the city’s turn-on-red ban at certain downtown intersections, though he agreed to a compromise this week that would put those efforts on hold for a year while the impact of the city’s policy is studied.
Freeman told IBJ in a text that he was unaware of the push to unseat him.
“God bless them. I will not be bullied, intimidated and will never back down from fighting for what I believe in,” Freeman wrote.
Freeman’s ability to raise campaign funds and his strongly Republican district in southeastern Marion County and northern Johnson County likely will make him a difficult target.
Freeman had over $174,000 cash on hand at the end of 2023, and he easily won his first two races for state Senate. In 2020 Freeman defeated Democrat Belinda Freeman by a decisive 18 percentage points. Four years prior, he beat Democrat Sara Wiley by 20 percentage points.
Tara Wolf, a Republican supporter of the south-side senator, told IBJ in an email that Freeman is open to feedback when she has concerns. “I think Senator Freeman represents our district well and is a wonderful advocate for his constituents,” Wolf wrote. “I would expect him to advocate and focus and what is best for our district and its future.”
Brown, the new city-county councilor, points to his own success in unseating the former city-county council vice president Zach Adamson in last year’s Democratic primary as providing a road map for how to defeat Freeman.
Brown, a self-described Democratic Socialist, noted that he wasn’t able to secure major endorsements or outspend his opponent. But he said he believes he was able to win by motivating voters and that the same motivation could be used to defeat Freeman if voters know his policy positions.
Brown has launched a campaign fundraising web page against Freeman, called “Freedom from Freeman.” It had raised had raised $3,220 for the cause by Thursday evening.
Former mayoral candidate Clif Marsiglio is joining Brown in his effort. Marsiglio ultimately endorsed an opponent in his race to become the Democratic nominee for mayor of Indianapolis last year, but he used the platform to build support for causes like pedestrian and cyclist safety.
Freeman has gained the ire of some in the pedestrian and cycling movement by calling one Indianapolis pedestrian-related policies “astronomically dumb.”
Brown said he has committed to knocking on 1,000 doors in Senate District 32—which includes portions of Franklin Township, Beech Grove and Greenwood—for any qualified candidate seeking to challenge Freeman. At the event Thursday, he and Marsiglio spent over an hour outlining the fight ahead and answering questions from attendees about the push.
The pair also worked to recruit potential candidates, volunteers, canvassers and volunteer organizers. Sixty-four people had signed an online form to help the campaign as of Thursday night.
Brown told the group that multiple people at Thursday’s gathering had expressed a willingness to run for the Senate seat.
Drake, Freeman’s 2020 opponent, was floated as a potential challenger to Freeman but denied interest in running in an interview with IBJ.
“I’m not saying never, it’s just not right now. And Indianapolis deserves public transportation, full stop,” Drake told IBJ.
Tina Ahlgren, a teacher that worked on a previous campaign with Brown, gave a rallying cry to the newly-formed group Thursday.
“Jesse said our goal here is to punch back, right? But I want to be clear: we can win this. We absolutely can win this.”
INDIANAPOLIS — UConn Huskies Basketball player Braylon Mullins is making his hometown of Greenfield, Indiana, proud.
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Greenfield native carries UConn to Final Four with game-winning three-pointer
Mullins’ three-point shot gave UConn the upset over Duke during Sunday night’s Elite Eight matchup in Washington, D.C., landing UConn a spot in the Final Four.
Mullins graduated from Greenfield Central High School in 2025 and became the school’s first-ever and only Indiana Mr. Basketball.
“It’s big play Bray. Like you knew that once he got the ball in that moment, he wasn’t going to shy away. He wasn’t going to be afraid from that moment,” Luke Meredith said.
WRTV
Meredith coached Mullins for six years. He says Braylon taking UConn to the final four is no surprise. He averaged 32 points per game in high school and was a hometown legend before Sunday.
“He’s Greenfield’s own. I mean, that’s what makes him so special is we talk a lot about just a kid from Greenfield, a normal, regular kid that went to a public school and didn’t go the prep route and stayed here and committed here, so there’s a real sense of pride here at Greenfield,” Meredith said.
Greenfield Central High School
Meredith says Braylon has made the shot a million times in his driveway at home. He is so proud that the world got to watch this time.
“It’s just a sense of pride. I met him here every single day for four years at 7:15 in the morning, so an hour before school, and that’s the foundation of success occurs when no one else is watching, so no one saw him putting that time,” said Meredith.
Braylon’s brother Cole is a senior at Greenfield Central. He says his brother has undoubtedly made his family proud.
“I think it’s crazy just to see. Like, it’s his first year as a freshman, so being able to go to the Final Four in your first year is special,” Cole said.
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Meredith says that regardless of what happens next, this wave of pride through his hometown will be remembered for years to come.
“It’s pretty incredible, life-changing for him, and you know, to put Greenfield Central on the map,” said Meredith.
UConn plays Illinois in the Final Four on Saturday, April 4, at 6:09 p.m. in Indianapolis.
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College Access • Culture • Community Impact • Championship Energy
The 5th Annual HBCU All-Star Game Experience will bring a high-impact lineup of events to Indianapolis, connecting students, families, and the community to HBCU opportunities, while celebrating Black excellence during college basketball’s biggest weekend. Scheduled events are as follows:
TOP MEDIA MOMENT (FRIDAY):
WHAT: Kickoff Press Conference & Official Game Ball Presentation
WHO: Travis L. Williams, Founder & CEO, HBCU All-Stars, Mayor Joe Hogsett, Indianapolis City-County Councilor Keith Graves and members of the Indianapolis community.
WHEN: Friday, April 3 | 2:00 PM
WHERE: Corteva Coliseum, Indiana State Fairgrounds
KEY EVENTS FOR COVERAGE:
HBCU Awards Ceremony & Reception
📍 Madam Walker Legacy Center
🗓 Thursday, April 2 | 7:30–9:00 PM
➡ Honors local community leaders and top HBCU student-athletes, coaches & leaders
College Admissions & Scholarship Fair (VISUAL + COMMUNITY IMPACT)
📍 Corteva Coliseum
🗓 Friday, April 3 (9 AM–1 PM, FREE)
🗓 Sunday, April 5 (12–4 PM, ticket required)
➡ Students meet HBCUs, explore scholarships and attend panels
➡ Friday includes Pro Day Viewing + Meet & Greet
Friday Fun Day (Community Outreach) (STRONG VISUALS)
📍 Sankofa School of Success + Windsor Village Park
🗓 Friday, April 3 | 4:00–6:30 PM
➡ Student-athletes mentoring youth + food distribution
Social Justice & Civil Rights Panel
📍 Madam Walker Legacy Center
🗓 Saturday, April 4 | 11:30 AM–2:00 PM
➡ Panelists include Sean Johnson & Dr. Heather Savage
Black Business Vendor Showcase (VISUAL + ECONOMIC IMPACT)
📍 Corteva Coliseum
🗓 Sunday, April 5 | 12:00–5:00 PM
➡ Black-owned businesses + community marketplace
🏀 HBCU ALL-STAR GAME (MAIN EVENT)
📍 Corteva Coliseum, Indiana State Fairgrounds
🗓 Sunday, April 5, 2026
Game Time: 1:00 PM EST
Doors Open: 12:00 PM EST
Location: 1202 E. 38th St., Indianapolis, IN 46205
Parking: $10 per vehicle at the Indiana State Fairgrounds
➡ Featuring top HBCU senior student-athletes from across the country
➡ High-energy, nationally recognized showcase of men’s basketball’s biggest weekend.
➡ Includes fan experiences, vendor activations, and community engagement
WHY THIS MATTERS:
Expands college access for local students
Showcases HBCU excellence nationwide
Drives economic impact + Black entrepreneurship
Combines sports, education, culture, and community
SOUND BITE:
“This is a can’t-miss moment for Indianapolis and for our future leaders. We’re bringing together the full power of HBCU excellence—education, opportunity, culture, and community—under one roof.”
— Travis L. Williams, Founder & CEO, HBCU All-Stars
🎤 MEDIA CREDENTIALS & ACCESS
MEDIA CREDENTIALS REQUIRED for access to:
HBCU All-Star Game
Courtside coverage of events at Corteva Coliseum
Press conference and select VIP programming
Tickets are still available and can be purchased by visiting the 2026 HBCU Experience. For more information about the HBCU All-Star Game and Experience, visit www.hbcuallstargame.com or follow @HBCUAllStars on Facebook and Instagram.
For more HBCU All-Star coverage, visit Indianapolisrecorder.com.
Noral Parham is the multi-media reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
Indianapolis, IN
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
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.
“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.
“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.
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.
—
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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