INDIANAPOLIS — A family is grieving while accusing police of shooting a man in the back as he ran from an officer. Indianapolis Black church leaders are also demanding more information about the shooting that killed Gary Harrell.
Close to 100 family and friends of Harrell gathered near 34th Street and Parker Avenue Friday evening, at the same place where the 49-year-old was shot and killed by an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer after a traffic stop Thursday morning. They stood near flowers, a candle and a wooden cross marking a memorial to Harrell.
No one at the balloon release wanted to give an interview. But the message on the cross speaks for many family members and friends.
Someone wrote on the cross: "Gary couldn't have outrun police on his best day. The officer chose to kill him in cold blood as he ran away in fear only to be shot in the back and killed by someone paid to serve and protect him."
The group prayed for the family and for justice before releasing balloons.
"There were some folks in the community who say the individual may have had a gun, but he was not brandishing his gun, and he was shot as he was fleeing in the back,” said Pastor Darrell Brooks, with the Black Church Coalition. “That's problematic."
According to IMPD, Harrell was pulled over for reckless driving. As the officer was getting out of his marked vehicle, police said Harrell had already exited his car and began talking to the officer. Harrell allegedly went back to the driver's seat of his car, disregarding the officer's verbal commands. Police said Harrell then ran from his car with a gun in his hand. During a short foot pursuit, police said the officer fired his gun, striking Harrell at least once. Harrell died at the hospital.
Police said all the normal criminal and internal affairs investigations after a police-action shooting must run their course.
"These are tough times, and we ask you to continue to be patient as we work through this investigation,” IMPD Deputy Chief Michael Wolley said after the shooting Thursday.
Police said the officer's body camera was recording during the incident, but IMPD provided no additional information Friday about the investigation.
"They've lost faith with the faith community and with the Black community,” Brooks said. “It continues to degrade year after year with instances like this."
The officer who shot Harrell has not been identified yet. He has been placed on administrative leave, which is normal procedure in an officer-involved shooting investigation.
Harrell had a long history of traffic violations involving driving without a license or with a suspended license, or with expired plates, and driving while intoxicated. As of his death, he still owed a $277.80 in fines and court costs from being pulled over last October with no valid driver’s license and driving with expired plates.