Indianapolis, IN
Man killed by IMPD had violent criminal history
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Surveillance video showing someone firing shots into a home was what eventually led to Thursday’s deadly police shooting in Indianapolis.
Just past 8 p.m. Jan. 5, across the street from an elementary school on the city’s east side, security camera video captured a pickup truck stop in the street. Moments later, a man can be heard yelling before opening fire at a house.
Court documents show the victim identified the shooter as Raphael Dekemper, who was killed by police on Thursday.
It wasn’t Dekemper’s first encounter with being violent.
In 1997, Dekemper was convicted of murder. He served 22 years before getting out in 2019.
Since then, his only run-ins with the law were speeding, and operating a vehicle while intoxicated until he was identified as the person who fired into a house.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department on Monday got a warrant for his arrest from Marion Superior Court 31. On Thursday, IMPD officers Dekemper him over on Brookside Parkway North. Police say Dekemper opened fire on police when asked to get out of the vehicle.
IMPD released pictures of a bullet hole in the hood of a police car.
Officers returned fire and killed Dekemper.
Police recovered a gun at the scene.
On Friday, IMPD was not commenting specifically about the shooting, but I-Team 8 learned more about the team that tried to arrest Dekemper. They’re known at the violence reduction team.
Commander Richard Riddle of the IMPD East District, said of the team, “They’re definitely the tip of the spear. They’re primary tasked with going after the worst of the worst. Those individuals that have a criminal history to include violent felonies that are carrying guns that are shooting guns at other people, taking other lives, and trying to take those individuals off the street.”
The violence reduction team has been around in some form for decades, but IMPD and the city have ramped up its use since 2020 to reduce gun violence in the city.
Riddle said, “Those units that are specifically targeting gun violence are going into situations where they know more often than not that individual that they’re trying to take into custody will be armed with a firearm and as we have seen across the past few months those individuals that are illegally possessing firearms are not afraid to then utilize that firearm against a uniformed police officer. So, it’s very scary. Our officers are doing a fantastic job.”
IMPD on Friday continued to investigate the police shooting that killed Dekemper.
Indianapolis police shoot homicide suspect on South Harding Street
Indianapolis police shot a homicide suspect after a pursuit ended near I-70 on May 28, 2026. The suspect is in stable condition.
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Indianapolis police shot a homicide suspect after a vehicle pursuit that ended west of downtown near Interstate 70.
Just before 8:30 p.m. May 28, 2026 Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers were dispatched to a shooting in the first block of North Rural Street. Arriving officers found Patricia Wieber, 65, with gunshot wounds. Wieber was pronounced dead after being taken to the hospital.
Witnesses were able to give police information about the shooter and officers tracked the suspect to the 7500 block of Bullock Court on the city’s south side. The suspect, identified by police as Ronald Cross, 75, got into a different vehicle with another man. While tracking that vehicle officers attempted a traffic stop near West Southport and Bluff roads. The driver, who is not implicated in the homicide, got out of the vehicle without incident and was taken into custody.
Police said Cross then slid into the vehicle’s driver seat and fled. Officers used stop sticks and then in the 1000 block of South Harding Street near I-70 a SWAT officer used a vehicle to perform a PIT maneuver to stop the SUV, said Kendale Adams, IMPD deputy chief of criminal investigations.
After the vehicle was stopped officers shot the suspect, Adams said. Cross was taken to the hospital in stable condition. No officers were injured.
Adams said two firearms were located at the scene.
During a news conference at the scene, Indianapolis police chief Tanya Terry extended her thoughts to the family of Wieber who was killed in what police believe was a domestic violence situation. She also praised her officers’ handling of the situation.
“[Our officers] did exactly what our community expects them do to in situations like this,” Terry said. “Our officers worked with bravery, coordination and precision in their attempts to safely bring the suspect into custody. I’m extremely proud of them for the work that they’ve done.”
The chief added that Cross would be facing charges in the case and police confirmed hours later that Cross was arrested on a murder charge.
The shooting involving police was among a string of shootings across the city, including one downtown roughly two hours before that left a man in critical condition.
“It’s been a difficult night for our city,” Terry said.
The officers involved in shooting Cross have been placed on administrative leave, per department policy. The Civilian Use of Force Review Board will have a hearing on the shooting and body and dash cameras were activated during the shooting, Adams said.
It is unclear whether Cross fired at officers and what makes and models of firearms were found by police.
Asked those questions by IndyStar, an unnamed IMPD spokesperson did not provide additional information and instead referred to a press release that did not contain the answers.
This is the fourth shooting involving Indianapolis police since the start of the year.
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Get more information of shootings involving Indianapolis police here.
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José Plasencia brings Cuban cuisine to Fountain Square’s Inferno Room
Cuban food never got the opportunity to evolve. Now at the Inferno Room, José Plasencia is giving his homeland cuisine a second chance.
A standout burger can come from unexpected places, as evidenced by one Indianapolis restaurant whose unconventional take on the American classic has earned it a spot on a national USA Today list.
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