INDIANAPOLIS — The brother of a man shot and killed Tuesday night is speaking out about the loss and expressing frustration at city leaders for what he says are strategies to combat violence that he believes aren't working.
"My chest hurt," said Joshua Beecher, describing the moment he found out his younger brother, 22-year-old Jaymion De'Wan Beecher, was dead.
"The reality is that everyone is going to pass, but it always stings a little more when it's like this," Joshua said, talking about the circumstance surrounding Jaymion's death.
According to IMPD, they got a call around 9:45 p.m. April 2 to the 9900 block of East 38th Street, just west of Mitthoefer Road, after an Indianapolis Fire Department engine crew on an unrelated incident near a laundromat reported that a car pulled up and a man was pushed out before it sped off.
The IFD crew discovered the man, later identified as Jaymion, had been shot. He was taken to Eskenazi Hospital in critical condition, where he later died.
"One question I have in my mind right now is, 'Why? Why?' That's the question I have right now in my mind," Joshua said, explaining that he believes part of the answer lies with the city's approach to violent crime. "I'm frustrated, and when I talk to friends my age, they're frustrated with leadership."
There were several shootings in Indianapolis over the last week, some ended in people being killed, like Joshua's brother.
On March 30, seven teens were shot downtown after police say there was a fight between two groups of people.
Police believe there was more than one shooter in that incident.
Despite that, statistics show this past year, violent crime and homicides in Indianapolis are down.
"They may be down, but there's still too many. So we're hoping for a turn around," Joshua said.
Police said there's still no suspect in the case or description of the car Jay'mion was in before someone pushed him out of it.
For his older brother, there's only anxiety about what really happened to his younger brother. He has this message for those involved:
"My great grandmother always used to tell me, 'Warning comes before destruction.' So if you're making wrong decisions, I'm here to tell you today, 'Change. Change what you're doing. You still have a chance,'" Joshua said.