INDIANAPOLIS — Detectives with the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force along with IMPD arrested five people on the east side of Indianapolis Saturday and recovered four guns, including two with machine gun conversion devices attached.
The task force identified 18-year-old Kentavion Lowe as a person making threats to retaliate for the killing of Walker Whatley outside Thomas Carr Howe High School. In court documents, police allege Lowe had made multiple threats of violence on his Instagram page toward the suspect in the killing.
“In this case, we have pretty clear evidence that what was being planned or anticipated to occur was retaliation for a different shooting and it’s very likely our officers and detectives prevented that from taking place," said Lt. Shane Foley with IMPD.
Detectives were monitoring a vigil outside Howe High School on Saturday when they spotted Lowe. After he got into a minivan, police stopped it near Riley Avenue claiming it had no working headlights or taillights.
Officers smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and performed a search that turned up four guns as well as marijuana.
One handgun with an extended magazine and a machine gun conversion device attached had its serial number removed.
Another gun, described by police as an AR-15-style weapon, was also missing a serial number and had a machine gun conversion device attached
Two other handguns, one with an extended magazine, were also found.
“We don’t know what violence could’ve been prevented," said Foley. "We can’t prove a negative, right? But clearly, an individual who was making threats of retaliation for another shooting and then is in possession of illegal firearms is concerning.”
Machine gun conversion devices are used to convert guns from semi-automatic to automatic guns that fire multiple rounds in a rapid fashion.
"It’s dangerous for our officers, it’s dangerous for our community," said Foley. "Why is it dangerous? Because the guns can fire multiple rounds in a short period of time and the guns are more difficult to control which means the bullets will go places they were not intended."
In addition to Lowe, who was arrested for having a gun with a machine gun conversion device and no serial number, police also arrested three other men:
- 19-year-old Dwayne Johnson – Possession of a firearm by a prohibited person
- 18-year-old Christian Richardson – Possession of a machine gun and a firearm with no serial number.
- 18-year-old Sylvarion Crayton – Possession of marijuana
- 18-year-old Jeremiah Kimbrough – possession of a gun with no serial number.
“We will never know what type of violence this investigation may have prevented,” said IMPD Chief Randal Taylor. “I appreciate the work of all officers and detectives involved.”
The Marion County Prosecutor's Office will make the final charging decisions on the five.
“Too often we’re responding to violent crime and this is just an excellent example of our officers and detectives working to prevent what clearly could’ve been a tragedy," said Foley.
ICGTF is a partnership of law enforcement officers and analysts from several central Indiana law enforcement agencies in Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, Morgan, Johnson, and Shelby counties. They collaborate on strategy and innovative approaches to locating suspects and evidence related to violent crimes and illegal possession of firearms.