INDIANAPOLIS — In just over seven weeks, IMPD officers have shot and killed four people. The latest person died in an incident Friday night near Lucas Oil Stadium. The coroner has not yet identified the man killed, who was the passenger in a car suspected to be involved in an armed robbery just minutes earlier on the near south side of Indianapolis.
Friday night's incident began with an armed robbery of the Dollar General store at Shelby and Raymond streets around 9 p.m. The male and female suspects allegedly stole an undetermined amount of cash, estimated to be about $200. Police obtained a good description of the suspects' car.
Police said they located the silver Buick LeSabre about three miles away on Missouri Street, near Lucas Oil Stadium. Police said they used a pursuit prevention technique to stop the car. According to IMPD, that's when the male passenger started shooting at police. Officers returned fire, hitting the man and the woman who was driving. The back window of the car was shattered, likely by bullets. The man died Saturday, marking the fourth person shot and killed by IMPD officers since Aug. 3.
Rev. David Greene Sr., president of the Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis, believes Indiana's permitless carry law is escalating gun violence with police.
"If you're a part of law enforcement, you got to assume that every individual has a gun,” Greene said. "Obviously, they all want to go back to their family safely. And I think that lends itself to seeing much more violence that's involved with police."
On Aug. 3, IMPD Ofc. Douglas Correll shot Gary Harrell in the back as he ran away with a gun in his hand after being pulled over for reckless driving. The Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis have called for IMPD Chief Randal Taylor to resign in the wake of that pending investigation.
"I'm concerned that we will continue to spiral downward in terms of community trust, in terms of police officers feeling like, 'Well, it's us against the world. And so, we just got to do what we got to do, and we'll just live with that.' Neither one of those are healthy," Greene said.
Greene also believes Kendall Gilbert should have survived a mental health crisis Aug. 27. Police shot and killed Gilbert after an hourslong standoff in front of his northwest Indianapolis home when Gilbert allegedly came at them with a machete.
On Sept. 19, police shot and killed Eric Taylor after a domestic disturbance and a short pursuit. Taylor allegedly got out of a car with a gun and refused to drop it.