INDIANAPOLIS — For more than nine hours, IMPD lined the streets in one east Indianapolis neighborhood where they say at least two people were shot Monday night on the city's east side.
A 19-year-old woman had a graze wound and is expected to recover. Another 19-year-old, Jaden Thrasher, died overnight, according to IMPD.
"He didn't deserve this senseless death," said DaJuan Thrasher, Jaden's father.
The shooting happened around 10:15 p.m. May 20 in the area of East 12th Street and North Colorado Avenue, near North Sherman Drive.
A boy, who police believe to be around 1 year old, was also injured in the incident, but was not hit by the gunfire.
DaJuan said Jaden just celebrated his 19th birthday on May 15, 2024.
On Tuesday, DaJuan went house-to-house in a neighborhood east of 10th Street and North Sherman Drive, looking for answers, checking for security cameras and asking the community for help.
"I'm going knocking on doors this early in the morning," DaJuan said. "Naptown, let's get together. Put down the guns and stop the violence."
DaJuan had just one word to describe what happened to his son Monday night.
"Senseless," DaJuan said.
As the investigation turns to who is responsible for Jaden's death, DaJuan said he's counting on the community to speak up.
"Allow God to be able to control this situation," DaJuan said. "Get justice for Jaden Thrasher."
"We need the public's help. Somebody knows something about this. It's not a big secret. Whoever did this was probably with people or would tell somebody or somebody knew they were coming to do it, and need to realize 'holy moly, a baby almost got killed,'" IMPD Capt. Mark McCardia said.
Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact Det. Douglas Morning at the IMPD Homicide Office at 317-327-3475 or Douglas.Morning@indy.gov.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477.