Indianapolis crime: Weekend shootings leave 6 dead in 24 hours

A rash of weekend gunfire in Indianapolis left at least six people dead, two people hospitalized and a community searching for answers.

"Back in the day, if people asked me if Indianapolis was safe, I'd say of course. No hesitation," said Arthur Littleton, an east-side resident who said he was "shocked" to learn of the shootings when he woke up Sunday morning. "But now, I don't know. I don't know what's wrong with people ... everybody shooting each other. This isn't how it's supposed to be."

"Everybody just wanna get back home (to their) family. But people just don't value life no more."

According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, the violence was spread across five separate shootings throughout the city.

The first shooting was reported shortly after 9:30 p.m. Saturday in the 1700 block of Bellefontaine Street. Upon arrival, police found a man in the street suffering from a gunshot wound.

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Medics arrived and pronounced the man dead at the scene.

Less than two hours later, a shooting at an apartment complex in the 7100 block of Twin Oaks led police to a man shot on the sidewalk around 11:15 p.m. Saturday. That victim was also pronounced dead at the scene.

Another shooting happened shortly after 1:10 a.m. Sunday at a bar in the 3600 block of Roosevelt Avenue, police said. When investigators arrived, they found two women and one man shot inside the business.

One woman was pronounced dead at the scene, and the man died shortly after being taken to a local hospital for treatment. The second woman found at the bar was hospitalized in serious condition, police said.

About an hour after the shooting was reported, a man suffering from a gunshot wound checked himself in at Community East Hospital. The man, who is in stable condition, said he was shot in the incident on Roosevelt Avenue.

Investigators believe the Roosevelt shooting was sparked by a fight that broke out earlier that night. Police said at least two IndyGo buses were filled with witnesses after the incident and taken in for questioning.

A 17-year-old was killed about 3 p.m. Sunday in a shooting in the 3800 block of North Franklin Road on the far east side.

The boy and a friend were walking when someone got out of a passing vehicle and fired a weapon, IMPD said in a news release. The shooter then got back in the vehicle and left.

The sixth victim of the weekend's violence, was shot to death shortly after 9:30 p.m. in the 1000 block of North Tuxedo Street, IMPD said.

Police said there was no indication that the shootings were connected. No victim names have been released and no arrests have been made.

Anyone with information about any of the shootings should call the IMPD Homicide Office at (317) 327-3475 or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at (317) 262-8477.

Citizens can also download the mobile P3tips app for Apple or Android phones to submit a mobile tip, or go to www.CrimeTips.org to submit a web tip. Callers will remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000 if the information provided leads to a felony arrest.

Call IndyStar reporter Justin L. Mack at 317-444-6138. Follow him on Twitter: @justinlmack