Indianapolis, IN
Wrongful death lawsuit filed by estate of man shot and killed by IMPD officer
One year after Darcel Edwards was shot by an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer and later died, Edwards’ estate filed a lawsuit against the city of Indianapolis and the officer who shot him.
The lawsuit, which was filed by Roselyn Edwards Rodger, Edwards’ mother, alleges IMPD officer Gunnar Gossett lacked a reasonable probable cause before shooting Edwards on Oct. 24, 2023.
It also alleges that Indianapolis failed to provide Gossett with adequate training that would have prevented him from shooting Edwards and alleges the city tampered with physical evidence that would have been relevant to the investigation of the shooting.
The estate is demanding its case be heard by a jury.
What led up to Darcel Edwards’ death in Indianapolis
On Oct. 24, 2023, IMPD officers heard shots fired in the area of East 25th Street and Dr. Andrew J. Brown Boulevard, near Douglass Park, and noticed a vehicle speeding away about 4:15 a.m., IMPD Deputy Chief Kendale Adams said.
An officer then made a traffic stop on the vehicle, at which point Edwards got out of his car and explained to the officer that his vehicle had been hit by another car, according to court documents.
Edwards then got back into his vehicle and fled. The IMPD officer began to follow Edwards before losing track of him, according to court documents.
More: ‘We are concerned’: Indianapolis police involved in 9th shooting since Aug. 1
IMPD officers shortly located Edwards’ vehicle, which had crashed into a tree near East 25th Street and Columbia Avenue and watched Edwards climb into a tree in a nearby backyard.
While in the tree, Edwards told the officers that he was experiencing an epilepsy episode and asked them to call his mother and doctor. Officers told him that he would receive care from medics if he came down from the tree, but he refused until the medics arrived, according to body camera footage released by IMPD.
During this interaction, officers told him to stop reaching into his pockets and to show them his hands. Gossett threatened to shoot Edwards if he failed to comply.
“If you do it again, you will be shot,” an officer is heard saying in portions of body camera footage.
Edwards is heard three times telling officers to shoot him.
“Kill me,” he said.
“No,” the officers replied.
“I’m going to my pocket then, kill me,” Edwards said. Officer Gossett then discharged his firearm, shooting him.
Edwards was transported to the hospital in critical but stable condition. He died two days later. No officers were injured.
After an investigation of the area, police were not able to locate a weapon, according to court documents.
Edwards’ estate claims excessive force, wrongful death
The lawsuit alleges that Gossett lacked probable cause to believe that Edwards was an immediate threat to him and his fellow officers, and for shooting a person who was unrelated to any ongoing crimes.
It also claims that Gossett conducted an unreasonable seizure and used excessive force, which violated Edwards’ 4th and 14th Amendment rights.
Although IMPD conducted an investigation into the shooting and concluded that Gossett was “acting under the color of the law and within the course of their employment,” Edwards’ estate believes his death was not justified and is suing Gossett individually.
The lawsuit also alleges that IMPD failed to provide proper training, supervision and monitoring of Gossett’s actions as an officer.
It also alleges that the city tampered with evidence that would have been relevant to the case, as the city had the tree where Edwards was shot by police removed within 24 hours after the shooting, according to the lawsuit.
The estate is hoping to have Gossett stand trial for the death of Edwards and the city to award the estate with compensatory damages and punitive damages for Edwards’ death.
Contact IndyStar reporter Noe Padilla at npadilla@indystar.com or follow him on X @1NoePadilla. Jake Allen contributed to this reporting, contact him at jake.allen@indystar.com.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indianapolis Colts are on their bye week and sit atop the AFC South with an 8-2 record.
WISH-TV recaps last week’s win against the Falcons and looks ahead to the rest of the season on Countdown to Kickoff, starting at 11 a.m. on Sunday, November 16.
Tune in on WISH-TV with sports reporter Angela Moryan, former Colts tight end Ken Dilger, and Colts Insider Kevin Bowen.
A chimpanzee escaped its enclosure and was on the loose at the Indianapolis Zoo Friday morning, but the animal was later located and returned to her exhibit, the zoo said.
“At approximately 10am, a female chimpanzee was seen outside her exhibit,” the zoo said in a statement. “Following emergency protocol, the Indianapolis Zoo was immediately locked down, and all guests were escorted to secure locations. The chimpanzee was sedated and returned to her exhibit.”
Visitors at the zoo told CBS affiliate WTTV they were asked to stay inside the zoo’s dolphin exhibit after the chimpanzee escaped. A photo shared with the station appears to show the chimp standing on top of the enclosure.
The zoo said guests were safe at all times, and there were no injuries to visitors, staff or the chimpanzee.
“The Zoo’s security, animal care and veterinary teams train for these scenarios and responded in a textbook and professional manner,” the zoo said in its statement.
The zoo has since reopened.
One visitor, who identified himself as a bus driver, said on Facebook that he saw the fugitive ape while on a field trip at the zoo with children.
“I’m on a Field Trip at the Indianapolis Zoo with 37 kids, parents, and teachers. Why is there a Chimpanzee on the loose at the Zoo…” the driver, Sherman Williams, wrote.
The zoo housed 21 chimpanzees as of May 2024, according to an identification chart.
Several visitors who spoke to WTHR said they were told to wait in their cars after the incident. Indianapolis Metro Police, State Capitol Police and the city’s fire department were all on the scene, the station reported.
After 10 weeks of constant action, it’s finally time for the Indianapolis Colts to have their bye week.
The Colts have stormed to the top of the NFL leaderboard with eight wins and two losses. Indy’s had a fair mix of blowout victories and dramatic finishes, leaving fans hopeful for a postseason push this winter.
While the Colts currently possess the number one seed in the AFC, the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots are breathing down their neck.
Here are the most impactful games Colts fans should keep an eye on during Indy’s bye week.
Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs | 4:25 p.m. on CBS
Similar to the Colts, the Broncos are 8-2 through 10 weeks. One of their losses came against Indy in Week 2, which is what separates the two teams in the AFC standings.
This AFC West clash has huge playoff implications. If the Broncos win, they’ll become the favorites for the division title. It would give the Chiefs a fifth loss on the season, and they can’t afford many more if they want to make the postseason.
If the Broncos lose, the Colts would get some breathing room in their push for the number one seed. At the same time, this would likely place the Chiefs in the wild-card conversation.
It would be truly unfortunate if the Colts had to play the Chiefs in the first round of the playoffs because they snuck into the 7th seed.
Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Los Angeles Chargers | 1:00 p.m. on CBS
The Colts are three games ahead of the Jaguars in the AFC South standings, but the Colts also have four divisional games remaining on the schedule, including two against Jacksonville.
Sitting at 5-4, the Jaguars have lost three of their last four games to tank their division title hopes. This AFC matchup with the Chargers is another game with massive playoff implications.
If the Jaguars win, they’ll be only two games behind the Colts with plenty of football left to play. The Chargers are 7-3, but one of those losses came against Indy. If the Chargers advance to 8-3, they’ll be another team breathing down the Colts’ neck, which is the last thing the Colts want.
The fight for the number one seed is going to come down to the wire. No matter who wins this one, it’ll put the Colts in some must-win situations.
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Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texas | 1:00 p.m. on FOX
The two bottom-ranked teams in the AFC South will duel it out in Nashville on Sunday. Although the Texans have had a disappointing start to their season, you can never count them out.
The Texans have an opportunity to climb back to .500 against the worst team in football. After stealing a win against the Jaguars last weekend, they’ve given themselves a small spark for a playoff push.
The Colts still have to face the Texans twice, and if they lose both, Houston is suddenly back in the AFC South title race.
This doesn’t sound like a fun game to watch, but it’s a score to keep an eye on if you’re a Colts fan.
New England Patriots vs. New York Jets | TNF
Thursday Night Football is certainly worth watching if you’re a Colts fan. The Drake Maye-led Patriots squad is on an absolute tear, and if they win, they’ll take over the number one seed in the conference.
The Colts won’t play the Patriots this season, which means conference record will be an important factor in determining the number one seed if both teams finish with the same overall record.
Not only will the win give the Patriots a lead in the AFC, it’ll pad their AFC East title hopes, too. The Buffalo Bills are another team the Colts don’t want to face in the first round of the playoffs, but it looks increasingly likely by the week.
Buffalo Bills vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1:00 p.m. on CBS
Josh Allen and the Bills suffered a terrible defeat to the Miami Dolphins last weekend, which puts their AFC East title hopes into question.
The Bills are 6-3, and they’ll face one of the NFC’s best teams in the Buccaneers this Sunday. The Bucs are coming off a loss to the Patriots, which makes this game all the more interesting.
For the Colts’ seeding hopes, a Buccaneers win would probably be best. If the Bills do find a way, like they did against the Chiefs two weeks ago, then it’ll give the Colts a team to watch out for in the AFC standings.
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