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Indy theater director charged in domestic violence incident

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Indy theater director charged in domestic violence incident


INDIANAPOLIS (MIRROR INDY) — A prominent leader in the arts community resigned from his role as founding artistic director of the Indianapolis Black Theater Company, after being charged with strangulation and domestic battery.

Benjamin Rose, 54, was charged after a woman told police he strangled her and slammed her head against a cabinet during an argument, according to Marion County court documents. The alleged assault happened around 2:30 a.m. Feb. 20 in Rose’s house on the southside, according to court documents, though the woman reported it March 2.

On March 5, Rose was charged with three counts: strangulation, a level 6 felony; domestic battery, a class A misdemeanor; and battery resulting in bodily injury, a class A misdemeanor.

In an interview with the IndyStar, Indianapolis visual artist Nasreen Khan described the attack and said she went forward with her story because she doesn’t want other women to have a similar experience. She said she and Rose dated and also worked together on a documentary film.

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The IBTC, which is housed within The District Theatre on Mass Ave, is an equity theater created in 2023 to assist and support Black artists in the theater industry. Rose was hired after a national search. Their first official show, “Toni Stone,” was held in September 2024 and there are plans to host a Black Solos Festival and two or three plays in 2025.

In a statement emailed March 10, board members of The District Theatre and the IBTC said they terminated Rose’s consulting contract after learning about the charges. The statement was signed by Stephen Farris, IBTC board chair, and Joe Chapelle, District Theatre board chair.

“The charges are incredibly serious and stand in direct contradiction to the values of IBTC and TDC, and we take these matters extremely seriously,” they wrote. “We do not condone, nor will we ever tolerate, any form of relational or domestic violence. We are committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and supportive environment for all individuals, both within and outside of our workplace.”

Reached by email, Rose said he resigned from his position and confirmed that his contract was terminated.

“I am confident in a positive outcome regarding these charges, but I don’t want the Theater to suffer while the legal process is playing out. I am assisting IBTC in any transitional support they need,” Rose said.

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Rose has been in the Indianapolis creative scene for more than 20 years. Most recently, he premiered his documentary, “Haughville, USA,” at the Kan-Kan Cinema on Feb. 28. He also founded his own media production company, The Identity Complex, and created the Black-n-Brown Soulidarity Festival.

This is not the first time Rose has been charged with domestic battery. In 2013, a former partner told police he strangled and attacked her. He was convicted of criminal confinement in the incident and sentenced to a year of probation.

Mirror Indy asked if The District Theatre knew of the previous charges against Rose, or if they did background checks on the organization’s leadership. Spokesperson Pauline Moffat said, “The board policy of TDT is not to reveal personnel information.”

In 2022, The District Theatre received a $350,000 grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to create a training hub for Black theater artists. The Indianapolis Foundation and Lilly Endowment Inc. were early supporters of the IBTC.

Rose is scheduled to appear in Marion County Superior Court on April 9.

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This story was posted March 11, 2025, on Mirror Indy. Mirror Indy reporter Mesgana Waiss covers arts and culture. Contact her at 317-667-2643 or mesgana.waiss@mirrorindy.org.



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INDOT says Clear Path 465 nears major milestone with final bridge beams

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INDOT says Clear Path 465 nears major milestone with final bridge beams


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indiana Department of Transportation says the Clear Path 465 project is nearing one of its last major milestones.

On Monday, the state agency announced that 10 bridge beams for construction work are scheduled to be delivered and set this week. It marks the final beams required and the 14th bridge on the project.

The beams will be installed for a bridge on I-69, northbound, over 82nd Street. Drivers should expect closures from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. through early next week as crews complete the overhead work.

  • Wednesday, April 15 & Thursday, April 16
    • 82nd Street is closed in both directions under I-69
  • Friday, April 17 – Monday, April 20
    • Eastbound 82nd Street closed under I-69
  • Tuesday, April 21 – Thursday, April 23
    • Westbound 82nd Street is closed under I-69.

Scheduled work is pending weather conditions in the area.

The mainline portion of Clear Path is still expected to finish this spring. INDOT says drivers should expect traffic shifts on I-465. The shifts will open the interstate to three lanes in each direction.

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Crews will install noise barriers and other final touches later this year. When that step is completed, I-465 will open to four lanes from the White River to Fall Creek.



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Pike Township leaders plan to address issues with N Zone bar after weekend shootout

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Pike Township leaders plan to address issues with N Zone bar after weekend shootout


INDIANAPOLIS — A shootout at a troubled bar near 86th Street and Michigan Road sent two people to nearby St. Vincent Hospital early Sunday morning and has now prompted a review by IMPD’s Nuisance and Abatement Unit. 

Police were dispatched to N Zone Bar and Grill shortly before 2 a.m. after a security guard called 911 and reported the shootout between a man at the bar and a person in a car in the parking lot. 

Photo of the N Zone Bar and Grill in Indianapolis captured by a FOX59/CBS4 crew on April 13, 2026.

Later that morning, two different people walked into St. Vincent Hospital on the north side of Indianapolis with gunshot wounds. The victims who checked into the hospital Sunday morning are believed to have been involved in the shooting.

“No one is immune, things are going to jump off in different areas,” Pike Township Trustee Annette Johnson said. “But I would say (I’m) concern(ed).”

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That concern from Johnson stems from the fact that the bar has been the subject of several complaints from people who live in the area, including homeowners associations. Those people have been reporting a host of issues at the establishment. 

“Late-night fights, break-outs,” Johnson said. “To the left of that area, you have apartments that have been there in this community forever, and then you have a housing addition directly across the street.”

A neighboring business told FOX59/CBS4 they were not surprised to hear another incident had occurred given the bar’s past. 

Just recently, video circulated on social media of a large brawl between several women in the parking lot of the bar. Reports made by IMPD show numerous calls to the location in recent years for things like gun crimes and fights. 

In May 2022, a man was shot and critically wounded outside the bar. The establishment was shut down following that incident after officials discovered it did not have the proper permits. 

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Johnson said the fire department has been called to the bar at least 20 times since it opened, which she believes is a lot for a business like that. 

“If you have too many complaints, you know what happens with those types of situations where residents will complain,” Johnson said. “Zoning and making reports on that that go downtown, and sometimes, you’re served papers that you may not be a business anymore.”

Johnson said she doesn’t want to see that happen and hopes to intervene so things don’t reach that level with N Zone. She said her next step will be reaching out for a conversation with the bar’s owners to try and give some best practices for them moving forward. 

The facility appeared to be closed Sunday and Monday. 

Police have not publicly announced if they identified or detained any suspects or persons of interest during their investigation of Sunday morning’s shooting.

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IMPD said its nuisance and abatement team is aware of the location and working to determine if any enforcement action should be taken. 



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Indianapolis Colts Under Fire Following Daniel Jones Decision

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Indianapolis Colts Under Fire Following Daniel Jones Decision



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Daniel Jones #17 of the Indianapolis Colts in action against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on October 19, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

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The Indianapolis Colts entered the 2026 NFL offseason needing to make a decision about the future of quarterback Daniel Jones.

After signing Jones last offseason to a one-year deal in free agency, the Colts liked what they saw from him in 2025. Unfortunately, his season came to an end early after he went down with a torn Achilles.

Before suffering that injury, Jones played in 13 games. He completed 68 percent of his pass attempts for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, while also running for 164 yards and five more touchdowns.

Jones was a free agent entering the offseason. Indianapolis moved quickly to lock him in. The Colts signed the veteran quarterback to a massive two-year, $88 million contract.

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Whether or not the move will pay off remains to be seen. It’s a big risk for Indianapolis, but Jones showed the potential of being a legitimate franchise quarterback before the injury occurred.


Colts Under Fire After Huge Daniel Jones Contract Decision

Chris Ballard and the Colts may be confident in Jones’ ability to be their starter moving forward. Not everyone agrees with the contract the team gave him.

Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport has named the move as one of the worst of the NFL offseason.

“Maybe Jones will be ready for Week 1 despite the severity of the injury. Maybe he can repeat last year’s success despite his struggles in New York. Maybe he’s the next Sam Darnold,” Davenport wrote.

“Or maybe the Colts should have let Jones play out the 2026 season on the transition tag while they saw how all those ‘maybes’ played out.”

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Last season, Jones faced a lot of doubt as well. After his rocky tenure with the New York Giants, no one could be blamed for having reservations about the quarterback. However, after the way he played in 2025, Indianapolis feels good about its decision.


Indianapolis Has Had a Wild NFL Offseason So Far

Outside of the Jones move, the Colts have been very busy this offseason.

Along with re-signing Jones, the team also brought back wide receiver Alec Pierce. In order to make that move happen, they had to pay out a four-year deal worth $114 million.

Plenty of other moves have been made as well. Indianapolis traded star linebacker Zaire Franklin to the Green Bay Packers and added pieces like defensive end Arden Key, defensive end Micheal Clemons, defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi, and cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt, among others.

Most recently, the Colts have been hit with a trade request from cornerback Kenny Moore.

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Only time will tell how the team’s offseason moves pan out. Indianapolis has taken some risk this offseason and still has holes to fill. However, the Colts looked like one of the best teams in the NFL during the first half of the 2025 season and may not be far off from Super Bowl contention.

Evan Massey Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst located in Indianapolis, Indiana who covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, and college sports. He has been featured on many publications, including Newsweek, Athlon Sports, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Sporting News, and many others. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son. More about Evan Massey





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