INDIANAPOLIS — A judge has sentenced a man to nearly 90 years in prison after he was convicted on 13 charges related to a string of attacks on women around downtown Indianapolis.
On Friday, Oct. 18, a judge sentenced Victor Johnson to 87 years in prison for a series of violent attacks toward multiple women in downtown Indianapolis during the summer of 2020.
Just before 5 p.m. on June 17, 2020, Johnson attacked a woman in the 900 block of Fayette Street, near 10th and North West streets. He ran away when he heard the woman's friend calling 911.
An hour later, he attacked another woman in a parking lot near the intersection of Alabama and New York streets. Witnesses say they heard a woman scream and a man running away with a knife.
The next day, Johnson attacked a group of people at Veterans Memorial Plaza. A mother and her 21-year-old daughter were sitting on a bench. Johnson sat between them, asking for a hug. When the women refused, he attacked both of them. He also attacked a woman sleeping nearby.
Shortly after, Johnson approached a woman on the Cultural Trail, near Walnut Street and Illinois Avenue, and allegedly said, "I just want to spend 15 minutes with you."
When the woman backed away, Johnson drew a knife and stabbed her multiple times.
Johnson ran away, but witnesses heard the woman's screams and caught Johnson, holding him until police arrived.
He was charged with 22 counts. On Sept. 12, a jury convicted him on 13 of them:
- Attempted murder (1 count)
- Rape (1 count)
- Criminal confinement (3 counts)
- Aggravated battery (1 count)
- Battery by means of a deadly weapon (1 count)
- Intimidation (4 counts)
- Battery resulting in moderate bodily injury (1 count)
- Battery (1 count)
“We are grateful to the courageous survivors who came forward and shared their stories, which ultimately put us in a position to hold the defendant accountable for his heinous actions,” Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said in a statement. “I commend the prosecutors, victim advocates, and investigators for securing justice and ensuring the safety of our community.”
Family helps track down suspect
A Fishers family out for a walk became witnesses to an attack and helped police catch him.
“It was sunny. It was hot,” Teresa Jackson said of June 18, 2020, when she said she and her husband headed downtown with their three young kids for a walk on the Canal and Cultural Trail.
The family was on the trail, almost to Illinois Street, when they heard a woman screaming.
“We look up and we see a woman is being attacked,” Teresa said.
The Jacksons say they had seen the woman jogging toward them seconds earlier. Now, she was struggling with a man up ahead. That man has been identified as Johnson.
“It was like you knew something was not right. We looked up, obviously we knew, she dropped to her knees immediately,” Teresa remembered.
The Jacksons say another jogger ran to help the injured woman as Johnson took off running.
“You could see that there was blood. We didn’t know what had happened at that point,” Teresa said.
“I’ve never seen so much blood in my life. I was just hoping that she was going to be OK,” Jeff Jackson added.
Jeff said he chased Johnson for at least two blocks, as he headed toward Capitol Avenue. The entire time, Jeff said he was on his cellphone with 911, trying to explain what he just witnessed. Jeff said when he got near Capitol Avenue, other folks joined in the chase, eventually tackling Johnson.
“I never in my life thought we’d see something like that. That poor lady appeared to just be going on a routine jog,” Teresa said.
Despite that, the Jacksons say they don’t feel unsafe coming back to the trail or downtown.
“It’s a beautiful area,” Teresa said.
They just hope the woman recovers.
“Hopefully, physically, mentally, she’ll be able to pull through,” Teresa said.