Indianapolis, IN
‘It shouldn’t be this way.’ Indianapolis faith leaders want changes to the way mental health crises are handled
![‘It shouldn’t be this way.’ Indianapolis faith leaders want changes to the way mental health crises are handled ‘It shouldn’t be this way.’ Indianapolis faith leaders want changes to the way mental health crises are handled](https://www.wfyi.org/files/wfyi/articles/original/3_2_1_impd-car.jpg)
A person who was having a psychological well being disaster died final month after an Indianapolis police officer deployed his digital management system, or taser.
Herman Whitfield’s mother and father known as for an ambulance within the early morning of April 25 however 5 Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Division officers responded. In accordance with police, Whitfield “moved rapidly in direction of an officer,” who used his taser. Whitfiled was unresponsive earlier than being transferred to a hospital the place he was pronounced useless.
Many neighborhood members say the incident ought to have been dealt with in another way.
WFYI’s Felony Justice Reporter Katrina Pross spoke with Josh Riddick, an organizer with Religion in Indiana’s Black Church Coalition initiative, about what neighborhood leaders say ought to occur subsequent.
Katrina Pross, WFYI: How did Religion in Indiana hear about this incident, {that a} man named Herman Whitfield was killed after an IMPD officer deployed their taser?
Josh Riddick, Religion in Indiana: Yeah, so we had heard about this, like most individuals via the press launch that got here forth from IMPD. And we nonetheless do not know what exactly was it that killed Herman. We’ve not had the post-mortem report come again. And we all know {that a} taser was deployed. There was some form of takedown transfer that resulted in Herman in the end not respiration when checked upon by EMT.
Pross: What response did you’ve got while you discovered about this case?
Riddick: I imply, like most individuals, pissed off, indignant. And in addition, you already know, saddened due to our work round psychological well being disaster response. That is the factor we’ve got been saying, we’re so afraid of getting occur. We have been afraid that there will be one other sufferer, and our emergency response system, not simply the police, every thing from dispatch to the police, to how we reply to of us in disaster, has failed, not simply on this state of affairs, however in different instances, as properly generally leading to dying. Our hearts break for the entire complete Whitfield household and the oldsters that we all know related to the household, as a result of this should not need to occur. It should not be this manner. And it should not be acceptable that it occurs.
Pross: Do you suppose this incident ought to have been dealt with in another way? And if that’s the case why?
Riddick: Yeah, completely. You already know, there should not be any state of affairs the place somebody is in a disaster, and so they find yourself useless. And we have been saying for a while, that for folk in disaster officers should not typically the correct response, if ever. And so oftentimes, once we invite police into conditions, as one in every of our leaders generally says, we’re at all times bringing a gun or a weapon into the state of affairs. And we all know that folk in disaster should not inherently extra violent. They’re not inherently extra, you already know, of a danger. We all know that they need assistance. And so these conditions, to me, talk a necessity for skilled skilled assist. We have now constructed a system that’s over-reliant on police, that our native police division has been saying for a while, “Look, we do not need to do psychological well being calls. That is not the lane that we’re in.” And they’re conscious of their lack of information in that area. Now, are there some strikes that may be made by them to regulate that? Certain, completely. However on the similar time, our bigger neighborhood in our work has been doing this and highlighting this has to demand one thing totally different. As a result of till we do this, we will proceed to depend on the police to resolve issues that they are not geared up to resolve.
Pross: MCAT, the cellular disaster assistant workforce, was not on responsibility on the time of the incident. Ought to they’ve been and what ought to the officers have executed?
Riddick: Yeah, in an ideal world, I would like that scientific therapists or licensed clinicians present as much as these conditions and never officers, interval. So that may be my hope and expectation shifting ahead. This isn’t a groundbreaking thought of what I am articulating. Different cities have figured this out. Different cities do that to an excessive amount of success. And there isn’t any motive Indianapolis cannot even be there.
Pross: What does Religion in Indiana suppose the town ought to do in response to this?
Riddick: Yeah, properly, we might need to see the officers relieved of responsibility. You already know, should you kill someone who was unarmed in a disaster, that is one thing that we do not deem as acceptable, and it should not be a suitable price of the job that someone died in your care. We might additionally prefer to see a unique sort of response created. So these conditions cease occurring, that we create a clinician-led disaster workforce that may reply to low-risk, non-violent emergency calls, psychological well being calls, particularly substance abuse calls, so that folk who’re are in disaster are getting the care they want and never having to be on the danger of of any form of state violence.
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Indianapolis, IN
Josh Downs expects big jump in second year with the Colts
![Josh Downs expects big jump in second year with the Colts Josh Downs expects big jump in second year with the Colts](https://www.wishtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/27/AP24162745262753.jpg)
WESTFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — Josh Downs dazzled in the wide receiver footwork drills, making cuts that were on another level compared to the rest of the group.
He rifled his feet through the ladder.
And on Saturday’s practice, him and Anthony Richardson connected for a nice pass and catch down the sideline between two defenders.
Downs has been impressive at training camp and got off to a good start in his first year, hauling in 68 receptions on 771 yards and two touchdowns, but he expects more this year.
“Year one to year two, it’s always been a big jump for me,” Downs said. “High school, college, it was both the same.”
He’s not exaggerating. In his freshman year at North Carolina, he had seven catches for 119 yards. That skyrocketed to 101 receptions for 1,335 yards in his sophomore year. His touchdown count also jumped from three to eight.
Offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter agrees with Downs’ confidence. He’s been impressed with Downs so far at training camp, and thinks he’s learned a lot from his first year in the league.
“Josh (Downs) is going to make the most of that from a route running perspective from a defensive coverage identification perspective,” Cooter said. “Josh (Downs) is primed and ready to have a big camp out here and do some really good things.”
Downs is processing the game better this year. He said he’s not thinking about the route he’s running as he gets set up at the line of scrimmage. Instead, he’s analyzing the defense and determining what coverage they’re in.
Someone that has helped him with this is cornerback Kenny Moore II. Downs considers Moore II to be at the top of his position in the NFL. He said Moore II is really smart and likes to mix it up with Downs when they’re matched up together, disguising whether he’s in man coverage or zone coverage.
Downs says he has the best slot receiver job in the league because he gets to go up against Moore II every day.
Downs has also been building his chemistry with Richardson. It’s now getting to the point where they’re running plays that aren’t in the playbook.
“We’re seeing different plays, it might not be in the playbook,” Downs said. “He’ll (Richardson) be like, ‘hey, JD, do you see this? Do that.’ I’m like, ‘I was thinking the same thing.’”
“I know Anthony (Richardson) trusts me. I trust him. We’re clicking before practice, after practice, even off the field. That’s my dog,” Downs said.
The Colts return to practice on Sunday at Grand Park from 4 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Indianapolis, IN
PHOTOS | Indy sneakerheads line up for the new Air Jordan 4
![PHOTOS | Indy sneakerheads line up for the new Air Jordan 4 PHOTOS | Indy sneakerheads line up for the new Air Jordan 4](https://www.wishtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/27/Corporate-2_processed-FB5D0B22-6293-45DB-9942-E7FBA6BE09A9.jpeg)
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Indianapolis, IN
IMPD: No suspect in custody in officer's shooting, but there is no 'ongoing threat'
This article will update.
A police officer was injured in a shooting on the city’s far east side Friday and police were searching late into the night for whoever pulled the trigger.
Police said the event started unfolding shortly after 8:30 p.m. in the 3600 block of North Wittfield Street, near East 36th Street and North Post Road in the city’s Northeastwood neighborhood. The shooting happened after officers responded to the area on a “shots fired” call.
Shortly after the shooting police said the immediate area was not safe and residents were asked to stay inside their homes and avoid the neighborhood. About 11:15 p.m. police said a sweep of the area — including with K-9s — did not surface a suspect, but they did not believe there was an ongoing threat any longer.
Anyone with information or video footage is asked to call 911.
“There’s a lot that we don’t know about this incident. And we’re hopeful that we will learn more later on,” Capt. Shane Foley said during a media briefing at the scene.
The 8-year veteran officer was taken to Eskenazi Hospital in stable condition.
Shortly before 1 a.m., during a briefing at the hospital, Asst. Chief Michael Wooley said a house also was hit by gunfire but no residents were struck. Wooley said no officers fired their weapons and body cameras were activated throughout the situation.
The injured officer suffered gunshot wounds to his abdomen and right arm and was stable after undergoing surgery, Chief Chris Bailey said.
“He is expected to make a full recovery, although (he) is going to be in the hospital for some days,” Bailey added.
Police have not released a description of the suspect in the shooting, who remained at large early Saturday.
“Right now, officers are all over the city, looking for the individual or individuals responsible for what happened,” Bailey said.
Officers will remain in the neighborhood collecting evidence likely past sunrise, he added.
The K9 sweep of the area is complete.
IMPD is not aware of any ongoing threat to the public at this time, however, no suspects are currently in custody.
Media should stage at 36th/N Post Rd just east, but park on the NW corner. https://t.co/Es3zCovZrU
— IMPD (@IMPDnews) July 27, 2024
Second Indianapolis police officer shot this year
This is the second time this year an Indianapolis police officer has been shot. In March an off-duty officer working security at an east side bar on East Washington Street was hit in an exchange of gunfire with at least one suspect. A man who was injured in that shooting died at a local hospital.
The bar where that shooting happened, 11:11 Bar & Grille, located at 9439 E. Washington St., was closed by unanimous vote of the Indiana Alcohol & Tobacco Commission.
11:11 Bar & Grille shooting: State shuts down club where 6 people were shot, including off-duty IMPD officer
Bar shooting: Shooting at east side bar injures multiple people including IMPD officer
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis police officer shot. Suspect at large late Friday
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