INDIANAPOLIS — One man was taken to the hospital overnight after what police are describing as a “rolling gun battle” in a busy area of Broad Ripple.
IMPD officers were called to the area of Guilford Avenue and Broad Ripple Avenue just before 2 a.m. for a report of shots fired and a large fight in front of the LAVA Lounge.
FOX59’s Russ McQuaid spoke to a woman named Laura who said, “It’s scary. I try to avoid going out at night,” said Laura, a guitar resting on her lap. “I’m too scared to go usually. There’s just too much talk about people getting shot and getting caught in crossfire.”
“We know the suspects fled the scene and at this time it appears there was a rolling gun battle or multiple shots were fired as the suspects left,” said IMPD Nightwatch Capt. Mike Leepper.
Police say one of the people believed to be involved in the shooting was in a car crash while leaving the scene.
The adult male was taken to a hospital for his injuries, but it’s unclear if he was hurt from the crash, the shooting, or a combination of both.
Coincidentally, hours after that shooting took place, IMPD and the Broad Ripple Village Association are set to hold a town hall on public safety at the Indianapolis Art Center at 820 East 67th Street.
“This meeting was set up about three or four weeks ago when we started noticing a trend of shots fired in the neighborhood and some of it leaked into the residential area surrounding Broad Ripple,” said IMPD North District Commander Michael Wolley. “We’re certainly seeing behaviors similar to what we would see downtown. Can’t say it’s the same crowd but similar behaviors with the shots fired disturbances that are occurring in the bar district.”
Wolley said IMPD would be relying more on surveillance cameras and analysts and real-time observers to keep tabs on crowds and communicate with officers on the streets as to incidents that develop.
IMPD currently assigns 8 on-duty officers to the bar district on Friday and Saturday nights who are augmented by off-duty officers hired by the bars.
Wooley recommends bar owners hire more off-duty officers and the Village work with partners to provide more lighting and trimmed foliage in the area.
Laura said she would welcome more security in Broad Ripple.
“It’s heartbreaking and it’s unfair and I really don’t know why people are shooting each other,” she said. “I just know it’s definitely gotten more frequent in the recent months.”
