INDIANAPOLIS — Visitors and residents in Broad Ripple can anticipate closed parking lots enforced by barriers, additional safety lights throughout the village and enhanced police presence ahead of July 4 as city officials put forth measures meant to reduce ongoing gun violence.
Starting 11 p.m. on Friday night, city officials announced the Broad Ripple Station Parking lot — which they called a problem "site of informal mass gatherings" — will be closed. That parking lot will also have additional barriers set to be put in place by the Department of Public Works.
Parking will also be restricted between Guilford and Westfield avenues in Broad Ripple throughout the weekend. Trespassing will be enforced by IMPD officers, a move Mayor Joe Hogsett said was done at the owner's request.
IMPD encouraged local businesses to leave their exterior lights on — even after business hours — to supplement some of the dark areas perpetuated by ongoing construction projects in Broad Ripple.
For those businesses who lack lighting, light towers can be set up for added security, according to the mayor.
While speaking on the issues of public safety, which come as IMPD and the Broad Ripple Village Associate brainstorm ways to curb gun violence following the death of three young people after a quadruple shooting last Sunday night, Hogsett took aim at Indiana's permitless carry law.
"Police, under current law, are required to assume every gun they see on a hip is being legally carried," Hogsett said.
That law will have been in effect across Indiana for a full year this upcoming Saturday. Hogsett believes it has been a major contributor to ongoing gun violence plaguing several Indianapolis communities — not just Broad Ripple.
"If that law was to test to see if a more openly armed society would be a more polite society, I consider the test failed. That law was opposed by law enforcement all over the state, including the Indiana State Police and IMPD. I also opposed its passage and, at this point, we shouldn't have to explain why," Hogsett said.
IMPD Police Chief Randal Taylor echoed Hogsett's sentiments that the state's permitless carry laws had hamstrung his department's efforts to inquire about guns they feel may pose a threat to the community.
“If your intent to come into Broad Ripple or any of our other communities — if the intent is to cause trouble to look for a fight to settle some kind of score — Broad Ripple is not the place. Indianapolis is not the place. I think people are getting weary of the gun violence that occurs so unnecessarily so," Taylor said.
The announcement on additional public safety measures came one day after Broad Ripple business leaders announced bars, restaurants and other businesses would close their doors early at 1 a.m.
Leaders with the Broad Ripple Village Association said their board was in the process of exploring any and all options to curb gun violence there.