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‘Our children are hurting’: Peace walk rallies community against youth violence

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‘Our children are hurting’: Peace walk rallies community against youth violence


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More than 100 residents joined a peace walk Saturday on the city’s far east side to raise awareness and rally the community against the growing issue of youth gun violence in Indianapolis.

“Our children are hurting,” said Antonia Bailey, one of the participants. “They’re being raised by parents that are hurting and have no clue what to do.”

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Bailey knows that pain personally.

This week marks the fifth anniversary of the murder of her 16-year-old son, Nicholas, and 15-year-old daughter, Ashlynn. The two Lawrence North students were shot and killed by another teen in their home as they got ready for school on the morning of Aug. 23, 2019.

“We have to do better as a community with wrapping our arms around our children, because they’re our future,” Bailey told a group of marchers before they set out from the Boys & Girls Club near West 38th Street and North Post Road. “Right now, when I look at it, it looks real bleak. And when I look at our future generation that’s going to be taking over, I have so much hope that it’s not always going to be like this.”

The person who shot her children was himself only a child at the time. He is now serving a 40-year prison sentence.

“I made the decision to forgive and have then spoke life into that young man,” Bailey said.

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Although homicide totals have dropped since peaking in 2021, killings of people under the age of 18 have steadily risen in the past few years, according to data from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

Indianapolis police investigated 25 homicides during 2023 in which a person 17 years or younger was killed. Speedway and Lawrence police handled three additional youth homicides.

Those who participated in Saturday’s mile-and-a-half peace walk Saturday pledged to push back against that trend.

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“Oftentimes, the light in our community flickers because we see so much violence on the television and on the news,” said Pastor Darryl Webster of Emmanuel Missionary Baptist Church and the Indianapolis Urban Pastors Coalition. “Today is a great example of the light shining through.”

“The source is deeper than the symptoms and we can’t treat it with just policies alone,” Webster said. “Policies are good, but that ain’t going to treat all of the symptoms. We also need people, and we need the spiritual component.”

A three-wheeled motorcycle group called the Indy 3s led the march. Among the group’s members is Denise Bonds, whose 25-year-old son De’Rell Brown was shot and killed at his apartment complex Jan. 25, 2021. His homicide remains unsolved.

“The hardest part is not having any closure,” said Bonds. Her Spyder motorcycle is covered in photographs of her son, a U.S. Army veteran. The dates of his birth and death are written on her helmet.

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“Please think before you pull the trigger,” she said. “Please think of the devastation.”

The walk culminated with a community fair at Pathway Resource Center at Amber Woods Apartments. There were food trucks, a DJ and a bounce house. The fair included workshops on de-escalation, conflict resolution and mental health. Other services such as immunizations and dental care were also provided.

The event was sponsored by state Sen. La Keisha Jackson, who is CEO of Pathway Resource Center, and Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis, led by City-County Councilor Maggie Lewis. Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears, Marion County Public Health Department Virginia Caine, Indianapolis City-County Council President Vop Osili and multiple other city councilors also participated.



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Indianapolis, IN

Indianapolis Indians bring family-friendly events to Victory Field

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Indianapolis Indians bring family-friendly events to Victory Field


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indianapolis Indians are bringing a packed lineup of family-friendly events to Victory Field this week as they continue a seven-game homestand against the Nashville Sounds, Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers.

After kicking off the series with a Memorial Day win on Monday that extended their home winning streak to eight games and raised over $8,000 for INvets, the Indians resume play on Wednesday evening with a slate of themed nights through Sunday.

The week starts with Youth Clinic Night on Wednesday, where children 14 and younger can learn baseball and softball fundamentals directly from Indians players and coaches. Gates open at 5 p.m. for the clinic, which precedes a 6:35 p.m. first pitch. Fans can also take advantage of Half-Off Wednesday Night ticket prices, presented by AAA Insurance and Best-One of Indy.

On Thursday, fans are invited to bring their furry friends for Bark in the Park, presented by Pacifico, PetSuites and Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Dog tickets are $7, with proceeds supporting local pet charities. The popular Thirsty Thursday promotion also returns, offering $3 Busch Light cans, $3 draft beers and $2 Pepsi fountain drinks. Gates open at 5:30 p.m., with the game beginning at 6:35 p.m.

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Friday features Friday Fireworks and Chick-fil-A Night, with postgame fireworks lighting up the skyline following the 7:05 p.m. game. Fans who purchase a Chick-fil-A Family Pack can receive special surprises at the ballpark.

The weekend wraps up with two fan-favorite theme nights: “Star Wars” Night on Saturday, and Sunday Characters on Sunday, which will feature appearances from Peppa and George Pig.

All games will be at Victory Field in downtown Indianapolis.



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Cooler temperatures, rain chances return Tuesday afternoon | May. 27, 2025

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Cooler temperatures, rain chances return Tuesday afternoon | May. 27, 2025


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Below-normal temperatures will persist over the next few days. The pattern will turn much warmer as we head into the new month of June this weekend.

Tuesday:

A cloudy, cool, and at times damp weather pattern will continue as we return to work for the short week. Expect mostly cloudy to completely overcast skies at times during the day. Scattered showers will develop heading into the afternoon hours.

High temperatures will struggle, only reaching the mid to upper 60s this afternoon.

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Tuesday night:

Showers and a few thunderstorm chances will continue into the overnight hours. For most areas, rainfall should be relatively light, but heavy downpours are possible with any embedded thunderstorms.

Overnight lows will fall into the mid-50s.

Wednesday:

The wet weather pattern will persist with considerable cloud cover, slightly warmer temperatures, scattered showers, and a few thunderstorms on Wednesday afternoon. High temperatures will top out near 70°F.

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Late week:

A nearby system on Thursday could bring shower chances to parts of the state, though it remains unclear how close the system will get. Many areas will likely stay dry as temperatures begin to moderate, reaching the mid-70s on Thursday and Friday.

Isolated showers and possibly a few thunderstorms are possible on Friday and heading into the weekend. The last day of May on Saturday should be very warm, with highs in the mid to upper 70s.

Seasonable, if not warmer-than-average, temperatures will continue into June, with highs near 80°F on Sunday and lower 80s by Tuesday. The 8-to-14-day forecast also indicates warmer-than-normal temperatures over the next couple of weeks.

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The winners and losers from a wet and wild 2025 Indianapolis 500

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The winners and losers from a wet and wild 2025 Indianapolis 500


There’s nothing like the Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway — and rarely has the Indianapolis 500 been more eventful than the iconic event’s 2025 edition.

Ran on a cool Indiana day amid overcast skies and occasional spurts of rain, the race’s 109th running was briefly delayed and then immediately chaotic, hit with attrition before the green flag could even fly. 

That set the stage for a race that saw numerous plot twists, comers and goers as attrition, strategy and the usual luck of the Indy 500 played out for 200 painstaking laps. 

Here’s a look at the winners and losers from the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. 

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Winner: A new Indy 500 champion is crowned: Alex Palou

Alex Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing

Photo by: Brandon Badraoui / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

Yep. He did it, again. 

For the past few years, Alex Palou has been a beast on road-and-street circuits. But ovals were a weakness, offering intermittent chances for the field to close ground in the championship fight. 

If Sunday’s result is any indication, that’s no longer the case. Palou exorcised his oval demons with his first win and did it at the biggest race of them all, sweeping the Month of May with his first triumph in the Indianapolis 500. 

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He now leaves the Month of May an Indy 500 champion, with a provisional 118-point advantage in the championship standings. Short of an injury or historic collapse, it’s unlikely that anyone will chase down Palou for the Astor Cup this season. 

Loser: Marcus Ericsson (and everyone else)

Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global

Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global

Photo by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

He was right there — in an ending where passing proved challenging, Marcus Ericsson held the lead into the closing stretch. But he wound up losing the top spot to Palou and couldn’t get it back. 

So Ericsson – like the 31 competitors that finished behind him – was left wondering what could have been at day’s end, even if the runner-up result was his best since the 2024 Detroit Grand Prix. 

Winner: Lead changes aplenty at Indianapolis

Patricio O'ward, Arrow McLaren, Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Colton Herta, Andretti Global, Callum Ilott, Prema Racing

Patricio O’ward, Arrow McLaren, Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Colton Herta, Andretti Global, Callum Ilott, Prema Racing

Photo by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

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Blame it on Alex Palou’s dominance. Point the finger at the hybrid unit. Choose whatever reason you’d like. But by any measure, it had been a procedural affair up front for the IndyCar field in the season to date. There had been only two on-track passes for the lead beyond the opening corner in the eight road-and-street circuit races since the Hybrid unit was introduced in 2024 – including the opening five races of the 2025 season. 

The Indy 500 matched that total just 12 laps into the race and proceeded to blow it out of the water. It wasn’t a spectacular race for the lead by Indy 500 standards, but a nice shakeup from the status quo beforehand.

Loser: Rossi, Veekay and Shwartzman end their days on pit road

Robert Shwartzman, Prema Racing

Robert Shwartzman, Prema Racing

Photo by: Geoff Miller / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

Pit road is often treacherous at the Brickyard, but rarely does it claim victims in succession like it did in the middle portions of Sunday’s race. 

Alexander Rossi came to pit road at the end of lap 73 after his car began smoking just to see a top-five run end in flames. Rinus Veekay was coming to pit minutes later on lap 81 when he lost control and slammed into the pit wall. Just six laps after that, pole-sitter Robert Shwartzman did the same while sliding into his box — and crew members — while the race was under caution. 

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Winner: A good day for David Malukas, AJ Foyt Racing

David Malukas, A. J. Foyt Enterprises

David Malukas, A. J. Foyt Enterprises

Photo by: Penske Entertainment

Prior to Sunday, it had been a quiet year for David Malukas. The Chicagoan had finished four of five races, but come home no better than 13th in a spring spent in the midpack. But on the day where the most eyes are drawn to IndyCar, Malukas made his presence known. 

Piloting the No. 4, Malukas led two laps and found himself third in the race’s closing stages. The quirky ending behind lapped traffic meant that the top contenders stayed locked in place for the final 10 laps, keeping Malukas out of real contention for the win. But the third-place result was the 23-year-old’s best outside of World Wide Technology Raceway. 

Teammate Santino Ferrucci didn’t supply many of the bold, exciting moves he’s managed in the past at Indianapolis. But the Connecticut native quietly marched up to seventh to give AJ Foyt Racing a pair of top-10s on the day. 

Loser: Josef Newgarden’s three-peat attempt stalls 

Josef Newgarden, Team Penske

Josef Newgarden, Team Penske

Photo by: Brett Farmer / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

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Josef Newgarden was ready to live up to the pressure of making potential history in Indianapolis. Unfortunately for the Tennessean, his car wasn’t as prepared. 

The Team Penske ace was trying to set two historic firsts on Sunday — winning from the last row

And scoring a third-straight victory. And for a time, it seemed possible. Aided by the race’s heavy attrition and sporting a fast No. 2 Chevrolet, Newgarden rose up into the top-10 and had time to chase down the frontrunners for a chance at racing immortality. 

But in the end, it wasn’t meant to be. Newgarden’s car lost fuel pressure and a trip to the pits on lap 135 ended with an early exit due to a fuel pump issue. Lady luck wasn’t on his side this year. 

Winner: Solid days for title hopefuls

Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren

Christian Lundgaard, Arrow McLaren

Photo by: Brandon Badraoui / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

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Look, the odds of anyone catching Palou at this point are slim. And no one is happy about any finish other than first at the Indy 500. But for those drivers hoping to catch him, or at least compete for second, bringing home a good result in an unpredictable race like Indianapolis is key. 

So while top-10 runs for Pato O’Ward, Kyle Kirkwood, Christian Lundgaard and Felix Rosenqvist are nothing to write home about, they did help the group leave Indiana with the four spots behind Palou in the standings.

Loser: Mother Nature’s at it again

Indy 500 grid

Indy 500 grid

Photo by: Phillip Abbott / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

It’s been a cool, overcast week in Indiana. So, there was no surprise when cloudy skies and a light threat of rain popped up on the race day forecast.

Thankfully, there was little rain to contend with on the day. But the little bit that did drop came down just as pre-race festivities were kicking into gear. 

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What ensued was a brief, but painful, wait as the weather moved through and the track dried – especially for Kyle Larson, who saw the little wiggle room he had for his planned IndyCar-NASCAR double evaporate as moisture hit his aeroscreen. Later, Larson’s race would end after an uncharacteristically botched restart.

That margin for error only got thinner from there, because rain forced a brief caution minutes later and before that…  

Loser: Everyone loses their minds before the green

Marco Andretti, Andretti Global

Marco Andretti, Andretti Global

Photo by: James Gilbert / Getty Images

It was shades of 1992 early on at Indianapolis. 

By the time engines were fired and pace laps got underway, the capacity crowd at Indianapolis Motor Speedway had reached a fevered pitch. Emotions were high and drivers were ready to race.

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In fact, they may have been a bit too ready. 

The lone Team Penske driver that didn’t have to start from the rear, Scott McLaughlin, made a colossal mistake heading into turn 1 on the final lap before the scheduled green flag. The Kiwi was warming his tires when he lost control of his No. 3 Chevrolet and clobbered the inside wall at the end of the front stretch, bringing his race to an end before it could begin. 

That led the race to start under caution. But the field still took the first green flag in the traditional three-wide formation, which led to another crash in turn 1 as Marco Andretti got the worst of a four-wide move.

The veteran’s 20th Indy 500 run was already hampered by a difficult qualifying weekend that saw him roll off 29th. But it ended even deeper in 32nd, having only seen one straightaway of green flag racing. 

Scott Dixon wasn’t involved in an accident, but suffered a setback of his own. His car briefly went ablaze during the pace laps. The 2008 race winner eventually required a brake change as a result of the mechanical issue, trapping him three laps down and out of contention early in his 23rd Indy 500. 

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