INDIANAPOLIS — City law enforcement leaders say they are seeing a rise in shootings that involve self-defense issues. The scenario that is becoming all-too common involves two people arguing. One or both pull guns. There is a physical struggle or exchange of gunfire. If someone is shot or killed, is the shooter at fault, or did they just defend themselves?
That's a question making sometimes fatal shootings more complicated to prosecute in Indianapolis.
“What's upsetting to me is, if you look at the month of January, I think we had 18 homicides during that month,” said Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears. “Fourteen of those were being investigated for self-defense, meaning that someone lost their life, and that case might ultimately be cleared. But that doesn't do anything for that family who lost someone."
A man was shot and killed in a reported family disturbance on New Year's Day. On Jan. 3, a man allegedly wrestled a gun away from an intruder in his home, then shot and killed the man. On Jan. 5, a woman shot and killed her boyfriend who was allegedly attacking her. Several more shootings occurred that month in a violent start to 2024 where the circumstances and culpability were even less clear.
Someone died, but no one was ever charged with a crime.
"So, we're just seeing a significant increase in the number of self-defense cases because we're seeing too many situations where both parties are armed, where multiple parties are firing their weapons during these very simple disputes," said Mears.
The past two weekends, apparent arguments escalated to mass shootings in and outside Indianapolis nightclubs.
"We have to be better to each other, be better human beings,” said IMPD Chief Chris Bailey. “We're better than this. We have to treat each other better. Heat of the moment conflicts cannot explode into gunfire over really what is insignificant in life. It really cannot, and we can't impact that."
Indy's top cop said juveniles who grow up around gun violence often perpetuate gun violence.
"And that's why there's a thought that they'd rather be caught by the police with a gun than in their neighborhoods than without one,” said Bailey. “And their trauma untreated is turning to anger and bad behavior. And then the next thing you know is that they're in jail or they're being buried by their family, and we have to be better."
Indiana is considered to have a very strong stand your ground self-defense law. That applies when you’re protecting yourself, your loved ones, and property. Self-defense is not meant to be pulling a gun to prove a point or win an argument.
“Our gun safety laws really don't have much of an effect,” said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett. “Everybody's got a gun. And we've got to get the guns out of the hands of the people who have absolutely no business owning them or possessing them."
Indiana law allows anyone 18 and older who is not a convicted felon to carry a gun in public without a license.