Police work to ward off violence at IBE

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - This is the final weekend of Indiana Black Expo's Summer Celebration, and all available Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers will be on duty in an effort to keep visitors safe. Last year, gang members marred the last weekend with a violent night of shootings that sent youngsters to area hospitals.

This year, officers visited gang members' homes, telling them to stay out of downtown this weekend. By Friday afternoon, officers had visited one third of the 70 known active gang members. And they hope they've done enough.

The concerts and parties during the final weekend of Black Expo Summer Celebration bring the crowds downtown, and sometimes the troublemakers as well.

"Ninety-nine percent of the folks are there to have a great time, said Michael Bates, IMPD deputy of homeland security. “It's just that 1 percent that are the biggest issue for us, and those are the ones we're focused on."

They have a laser focus on gang members like 17- year old Shamus Patton, a member of the gang The Ratchet Boys. Patton pleaded guilty earlier this week to shooting nine youngsters at last year's Summer Celebration.

"The Ratchet Boys are pretty obvious,” Bates said. “That's one of the ones that we focus on."

That’s one of seven gangs that have gotten home visits from police officers this week in an effort to prevent shootings like last year's from happening again.

"If you get through to one [gang member] or we get through to two, we can keep them out of downtown this weekend," Bates said.

Asked to address those skeptical about the effectiveness of a home visit, Bates answered: "I think it's important that we be proactive and at least make that attempt."

He stressed that the visits make gang members and their families aware of the fact that police know who they are.

"We have their names. We know who they are. So if they show up despite warnings - if they want to show up, we'll identify them and prosecute and take care of them," Bates said.

That's the plan. This weekend is the test of that plan. More than 300 IMPD officers will be out Friday and Saturday evening. They'll be joined by Marion County Sheriff’s deputies and Capital Police officers as well.