INDIANAPOLIS — The number of police-involved shootings involving IMPD officers is now more than double the number from this same time last year.
So far in 2023, police have shot 15 people in 14 different incidents.
Ten have occurred since August, and three of those shootings have happened in just the past seven days.
Eight of the shootings have been fatal.
Those numbers have the public asking why this many people have been shot by police in such a short period of time.
IMPD Chief Randal Taylor told 13News that IMPD is asking the same question, and he's willing to bring in an outside agency or company to get answers.
"If there's things, some other organization that can ferret out that we need to change, then we'll certainly implement that," Taylor said in a sit-down interview with 13News.
According to Taylor, 11 of the 15 people shot by police had weapons they were not allowed to have.
Taylor said each case is different, but in most of them, a suspect did not follow what police were asking them to do.
"In these cases, people will have had guns out and make it difficult for the officers," Taylor said. "It's already a difficult job, but if you have a weapon out and you're not going to put it away when we tell you to, then, unfortunately, sometimes bad things happen."
Earlier this week, the Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis called for the U.S. Department of Justice to take a closer look at the number of shootings this year involving IMPD.
Taylor said the DOJ already looks at each police-involved shooting, but he has no problem if they or any other agency want to take a closer look.
"Whether that has to do with the way we train our officers, whether that has to do with something else," Taylor said.
Because there have been a large number in a short period of time, Taylor explained not all of the investigations into each of the shootings are complete.
"When they're complete, I think we'll have a better picture of what's there. If it comes to our officers are making poor decisions, then obviously, we'll have to address those and find ways to combat that," Taylor said.