The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said it’s conducting an internal review after a video showing an officer threatening to kill a 17-year-old Black driver was posted on social media.
Trevion Taylor, 17, was driving away from an anti-ICE protest near Warren Central High School on the east side Feb. 6 when he noticed a police car following him, his mother, Ambar Taylor, told IndyStar in an interview. Trevion graduated early but went to join some friends who were participating, she said.
He was pulled over at a gas station near the intersection of 21st Street and Mitthoeffer Road, less than half a mile from the school.
His phone, placed on the dashboard, captures an officer telling the driver: “We’re gonna get you out here. So when you get out, I’m gonna pull you out, I want you to put your hands on top of the car, OK?”
“Why am I getting out for?” Trevion asks.
“The car smells like weed. Step out of the car,” the officer responds.
As officers on both sides of the car and Trevion’s passengers all speak, Trevion looks back and forth. The driver’s door opens and an officer grabs Trevion’s wrist and pulls him out.
“Yo, what?” Trevion asks.
“I will f—ing kill you. Do you understand me?” the officer says.
Ambar Taylor posted the video on Facebook, accusing Indianapolis police of racial profiling.
“He’s a young Black man. You’ve seen the news 100 times,” she said. “My son will not be a victim.”
IMPD says officer stopped car because of gun
Officers were monitoring the protest — one of many anti-ICE students walkouts held across Indianapolis and the nation — because it received information that students might have guns there, IMPD said in a statement posted late Feb. 6.
They pulled over Trevion’s car after seeing a juvenile get in it with a gun, according to the statement. Specifically, officers stopped the car at 2:28 p.m. Feb. 6 after Trevion failed to signal during a lane change, according to a police report, which said the passengers were two 17-year-olds and one 16-year-old.
Under Indiana law, a person under 18 may not carry a loaded firearm outside of certain exceptions including hunting, practicing at a firing range under adult supervision or on a private property with their guardian’s permission. Minors who knowingly possess a loaded firearm for any other purpose can be charged with a misdemeanor.
The officer’s handling of the Feb. 6 situation is under review, according to the IMPD statement.
“While the video does not show the entire incident, some of the language heard does not reflect the standards or values of IMPD,” it says. “Accountability is essential to building trust and legitimacy with our community. The involved officer was equipped with a body-worn camera, which recorded the incident. An internal review is underway to determine the full circumstances of the encounter, including the statements captured on video.”
IMPD citizen complaints: How to report Indianapolis police misconduct allegations
On Feb. 7, Rick Snyder, president of the Indianapolis Fraternal Order of Police, weighed in with a statement that called the video “incomplete” and said the officers’ tactics were reasonable. He noted they made sure the teens’ vehicle was separated from protesters during the traffic stop.
Calling the blunt language a normal reaction to such a situation, he said the organization welcomed a full review that explained how a juvenile came to possess a firearm.
“While it’s jarring to hear without the complete set of facts and context of the interaction (including the threats faced by the officers during the intervention); it becomes more understandable once recognizing the need for immediate compliance along with a direct verbal warning in lieu of use of force,” the statement read.
“Often our officers are placed in impossible situations. One of the ‘standards and values’ of IMPD is preservation of life. That also includes the lives of our officers when faced with armed juveniles in volatile situations.”
One passenger arrested
After Trevion is pulled from the car, he says: “Bro, what the f—? You’re gonna kill me if I …”
“He’s f—ing reaching – reaching for a gun, that’s why,” the officer responds.
The officer tells him not to move his hands.
“Yes, sir. Yes, sir,” Trevion says.
He can be seen through the back driver’s side window being led away in handcuffs. Two other teens exit the back seat with their hands up.
Three of the car’s four occupants return after more than 10 minutes. The one who did not return had a gun and was taken into custody, according to police.
Trevion was not charged or given a ticket. His mother said she is filing a complaint with IMPD over her son’s treatment.
“These are kids, and if you can’t de-escalate a situation with kids without going to those words first, you shouldn’t be a police officer,” Ambar Taylor said.
Ryan Murphy is the communities reporter for IndyStar. She can be reached at rhmurphy@indystar.com.
IndyStar reporter Domenica Bongiovanni contributed to this report.
