WESTFIELD, Ind. — A 17-year-old from Indianapolis is facing multiple charges, including three counts of attempted murder, after allegedly firing shots at an opposing team outside the Pacers Athletic Center.
On Sunday, Nov. 5 around 6:30 p.m., Westfield police responded to a shots fired call at the Pacers Athletic Center, located at 200 E. 186th St., after a witness reportedly said he heard gunshots or fireworks in the parking lot.
Multiple officers arrived on scene and saw two people waving them over. Those witnesses reportedly told police they saw someone shooting a gun. Officers also noted multiple 9mm shell casings on the ground in the parking lot.
The witnesses said they saw someone standing near, and in between, parked cars holding a handgun and shooting multiple times. They also told police they thought two young teens were involved and that one of the teens was shooting at someone in a white pickup truck.
One witness also reportedly saw a juvenile with a backpack and basketball run inside the PAC after the incident, and then the “one that shot” ran in the direction he was pointing.
Three 9mm shell casings were eventually recovered from the parking lot, and four unoccupied vehicles were damaged, located within the vicinity of the parking lot where the shooting happened, according to the witness statements. The damage to each vehicle was estimated by police to be $750.
Another witness then claimed they saw a young teen in a puffer jacket shooting three rounds at kids wearing mostly black with colorful splats.
Police reported they eventually determined one of the victims who was allegedly shot at was an assistant coach for the basketball team Blackout, who just played a game against the Outlaws at the PAC.
The Blackout were wearing mostly black jerseys, and the Outlaws were wearing multi-colored jerseys.
An assistant coach for the Blackout then told police he was coaching at PAC during the evening, and noted there was tension between the two teams.
After the game ended, the two teams shook hands, but the assistant coach said he continued to notice tension between the two teams.
Then, they came back inside and walked over toward the bleacher side of Court 1. The assistant coach described being on that same side of the court at that time.
When the assistant coach noticed the Outlaws team wasn’t leaving yet, he decided to go ahead and leave with his family. He then describes that when he got out to his white GMC Sierra truck, “all of the sudden, three people just come out.”
The assistant coach later said he heard three gunshots once he got in his truck. Then, he went to leave the area, and the individuals claimed they were “just trying to leave.”
A subsequent investigation into further details revealed the assistant coach was parked on the south side of the PAC parking lot, in a parking row to the east of the PAC entrance. Another witness told police the three kids were possibly targeting her son.
Officers then recovered a text message between the victim and another witness, which appeared to show the young teen who was allegedly shot at, saying he “almost died” and that his mom was crying.
The witness could be seen texting him that he was sorry it got “out of hand.” A later witness called police and said they saw a scuffle on the court, and the game was called with 15 seconds left.
Another witness then told police the juvenile suspect was sitting on the scoreboard and saw the suspect exiting the PAC after the game. The witness said the suspect then came back inside the PAC, claiming the opposite team’s coach shot at them before getting into a white pickup truck.
Westfield police then found a Facebook profile of the teen holding a rifle, pointing it at a camera. A handgun was reportedly also visible in that photo.
Days later, detectives searched the teen suspect’s home, and he was brought in to speak with police. A witness told police at that interview the teen suspect got into an argument with the son of the other team’s coach on the Blackout.
The witness described it as "trash talk" but said tensions were high. The witness then said the teen suspect got out of the car after the game and went into the parking lot, then ran back, saying people were shooting. Fans of the Blackout claimed the Outlaws had been shooting.
The teen suspect then told police he and his brothers wanted to go out to the car after the game so they headed out to the parking lot. The teen told police he was sitting at the scorer's table, next to the wife of the opposing team’s coach.
He denied being the one who fired shots, despite other witnesses describing someone who matched his description as having done it. He also denied having a gun, but admitted to it when police showed him the photo they found on his Facebook page. He confirmed it was a 9mm. He admitted to a handgun possession charge in Atlanta.
The teen denied knowing why witnesses would have identified a person matching his description as the shooter. Two black handguns were later seized from the address.
Prosecutors have charged the teen suspect with the following:
- Attempted murder, attempted intentional killing of another
- Attempted murder, attempted intentional killing of another
- Attempted murder, attempted intentional killing of another
- Criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon
- Criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon
- Criminal recklessness committed with a deadly weapon
- Pointing a firearm at another
- Pointing a firearm at another
- Pointing a firearm at another
- Dangerous possession of a firearm, child possess a firearm for any purpose
- Unlawful carrying of a handgun
- Criminal mischief, damage
- Criminal mischief, damage
- Criminal mischief