Ten Point Coalition plans canvass of troubled areas

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Just days after a fatal shooting on Indianapolis’ east side, another east side community and multiple faith-based groups are coming together to search for solutions.

Reverend Charles Harrison with the Ten Point Coalition says this weekend, they’ll be targeting five zip codes in the city they say see the most homicides and aggravated assaults.

One of those is near 42nd Street and Post Road.

The others are spread out in pockets throughout the city, and they’re planning to have a presence in all of them this weekend.

“What worked in the late ‘90s, when we first started Ten Point, was we were engaging the community,” said Harrison. “We’re going to do that again.”

Just down the street, another faith-based group hosted a town hall meeting Thursday evening, aimed at addressing gangs and youth violence.

Numerous city-county council members, police officials, and Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry attended.

Also in attendance, mother Alicia McNellye. She says she’s lived in the neighborhood near 38th Street and Post Road her whole life, and she brought her teenage son to listen to the conversation.

“I think the people that would have the most benefit from attending, are not here,” said McNellye. “If you have children that don’t have food at home, that don’t have an adult there, somebody that cares, they’re going to go out and do whatever, if they don’t have supervision.”

“I think we need to get the adults involved, and bring some of these children and young adults in, otherwise, the problem is not getting addressed,” she added.

This year, there have been 23 homicides so far in the city. That’s up from this time last year: in 2012, there had been 15 homicides by March 7.

In both 2011 and 2012, police say there were 96 homicides.