First homicide of 2011 in Indy under investigation

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Indianapolis Metro Police are investigating the city's first homicide of 2011.

And as of right now, it's still a mystery even to detectives. 20 year old Dominique Corder violently gunned down in front of his grandmother's home.

"Basically what I'm asking here is I need some help in this case. I'm reaching out to anybody out there to help us with any information to help us locate the person responsible," explained IMPD Detective Jose Torres.

The shooting happened around 12:45 am Saturday in the 300 block of West 27th Street.

Police do not have a description of a person involved in the shooting and are trying to determine a motive for the shooting.

Sandi Washington is Corder's aunt.

"It's really been difficult, really, really difficult, he was a really good kid, with a bright future ahead of him," said Washington.

Corder was a 2009 graduate of Manual High School, a football player who went on to be a junior college All American Quarterback at Central Lakes College in Minnesota..

Here are a few of his awards as a football player:
2010 NJCAA All-American
2010 MCAC Conference MVP
2010 All-Region 13
2010 All-MCAC
2010 Valley of the Sun Bowl MVP

He was just days away from returning to school for the Spring semester.

"I am saddened by the news of the passing of Dominique Corder. My condolences go out to Dominique's grandmother, Anna Hall and the rest of his family. Over the last year I have had the great opportunity to work closely with Dominique and I will miss him dearly. He was a young man of great character who was driven to succeed in all aspects of his life. Dominique possessed great leadership skills and was an inspiration to myself and many others. He had an incredibly bright future that I had looked forward to following with reverence. He will be missed by many."

And the Athletic Director from Central Lakes, Jim Russell released this statement: "Our first concern is definitely to his family. Our prayers are with them. We felt like he really grew up here, and made a great adjustment. He did very well on the field, of course, and he was a great person. He gave his best effort on and off the field."

Corder was driven to succeed and driven to to make his Indianapolis neighborhood a better place to live, if football didn't workout for him his family says his goal was to move home and give back to his community.

A community that he spent his entire life in.  Corder police say was celebrating New Year's Eve with his grandmother.

"She heard the shot and came out and saw him laying out in the street," said Washington.

Police say the shot came out of a dark colored vehicle that was parked in front of the house.

"He basically confronted this person saying move your car," said Det. Torres.

Then gunfire... it was a fatal exchange. The star quarterback later died at Methodist Hospital.

His coach and family members say he was entertaining scholarships from several 4 year universities. Police asking for anyone with any information to contact the IMPD Homicide Branch at 327-3475 or Crime Stoppers at 262-TIPS.