INDIANAPOLIS — A man and three juveniles were arrested on the Fourth of July near the Indianapolis Colts Canal Playspace in downtown Indianapolis.
Shortly after 10 p.m., a camera operator at the Regional Operations Center alerted IMPD officers of people possibly armed in the 300 block of West Walnut Street, near North Senate Avenue and West St. Clair Street.
Police began looking near the park for people matching the suspects' descriptions. Police located the suspects in the playground area, where adults and children were gathered to watch the downtown Indianapolis fireworks display.
According to court documents, one of the males in a white T-shirt started to quickly walk away. An officer on a bike and in a fully-marked uniform started following the suspect, who was on his cellphone and touching the front of his pants, which police said is common with keeping a gun in the front waistband.
When backup officers were close, the officer stopped the suspect, who said he was 16 years old. When conducting a pat-down, the officer found and removed a Taurus .45, which was reported stolen.
According to court documents, other officers went to the playground area to speak with the remaining three suspects.
Police said a man, later identified as Tyrese Cole, had a distinct smell of marijuana coming from him and found a rifle in his pants. According to police, the rifle's safety was off and set to fire with a live 300 blackout round in the chamber.
Police searched a second juvenile, finding a Glock 43 in his waistband. Police said the handgun had a live round in the chamber but no magazine, and said the juvenile also had a plastic bag with 10 live rounds.
According to court documents, police searched a fourth juvenile and found a Taurus RT 45 in his waistband.
During the search, Cole told police, "That's my gun, I gave it to him, they're all my guns."
All four guns were collected and taken to the IMPD property room.
The three juveniles were charged with dangerous possession of a firearm by a minor. Cole was charged with dangerous control of a firearm in providing the juveniles with handguns.
The juveniles were taken to the juvenile detention center, while Cole was taken to the adult detention center.
Cole's initial hearing is scheduled for Friday, July 8 at 9 a.m.
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