INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) - A 27-year-old man is the city's first homicide victim of the new year.
Rodriguez K. Anderson was found, apparently shot to death, in the front seat of a parked car in the 3600 block of N. Schofield Ave.
The crime comes right after Indianapolis endured a record number of murders, 154 of them, in 2017.
The killing was felt miles away in another neighborhood where residents are considering joining the fight against violent crime.
On a big colorful sign, "Haughville" appears with a peace sign. Unfortunately peace is more of an ambition than a reality.
But in this high crime, high poverty neighborhood where abandoned homes, modest homes and new homes stand on the same block, there is a new attitude.
"We are stronger than ever now," Toya Crain said. She's director of the Haughville Strong neighborhood group. "What we have now is a number of residents that have come together and decided to volunteer and build relationships."
We found Crain meeting with former mayor Olgen Williams and Ten Point Coalition founder Rev. Charles Harrison while IMPD detectives went to work solving the city's first killing of the year.
Investigators believe Anderson was killed somewhere else then driven to a neighborhood near E. 38th Street and Fall Creek Parkway N. Drive. The back window was shot out. Police said it also looked as if the car was in an accident.
Rev. James Black, a Ten Point Coalition volunteer, came to the crime scene looking for answers and hope.
"Hopes that we can get a lot of things solved this year, hoping we can all come together and work together," he said.
The coalition takes credit for reducing crime in several Indianapolis neighborhoods. Haughville may be next.
"One of the major issues that residents spoke of is what we can do about our streets and make them safer," Crain explained.
The coalition just expanded into a violent far-east side neighborhood. Rev. Charles Harrison said a $500,000 state grant could help expand the grass roots peace effort to Haughville and other areas.
"The money is there," he said. "We are going to put that money to use."
New crime fighting initiatives will take months to implement. In the meantime, IMPD asks people who know anything about Wednesday's murder or any others to call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at (317) 262-TIPS (8477). You can also submit anonymous tips online.