2nd police-involved shooting in 12 hours called crazy, wild
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Four Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers were on administrative leave Friday in connection to investigations into two police-involved shootings within 12 hours Thursday on the far east side. Administrative leave is standard procedure in police-action shootings.
The first shooting
The first police-involved shooting Thursday happened around 12:40 p.m. at East 16th Street and Mitthoeffer Road, on the far east side. An IMPD officer shot a man, identified Friday as Truville Christian, who had been a passenger in a car in a traffic stop. Police said Christian acted evasively and had a weapon. Officials said an officer used a Taser but it was ineffective. An officer then fired shots at the suspect. Christian was taken to Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital, where he was in critical condition.
Police announced Friday that Christian was stable and was expected to survive his injuries. Christian had an outstanding warrant for carrying a handgun without a license, according to police, and on Friday faced preliminary charges of possession of a handgun without a license, dealing marijuana, possession of marijuana, resisting law enforcement and failure to identify.
The second shooting
Police were first called to the area of East 30th Street and Post Road about 10:50 p.m. Thursday on a disturbance and again at 11:05 p.m. on a “shots fired” call. Both calls were from Cheswick Village Apartments, which is southeast of 30th and Post.
An IMPD representative said officers initially responded to an incident reportedly involving from 7-10 people. One officer encountered two people believed to have broken away from that group. When officers approached the two people, they became belligerent and at least one shot was fired at the officers and subsequently one officer returned fire and fired one shot.
The suspects fled from the officers, and a perimeter was set for a manhunt involving police dogs, a state police helicopter and an Indianapolis Fire Department drone. A lockdown of the area was held until 1:43 a.m. Friday.
No officers were injured in either shooting.
The suspects had not been taken into custody on Friday night.
“It’s wild man; it’s crazy some people don’t really think of all the other people they put in danger,” said Rodney Martin, who works at Little Feet Daycare just beyond the Cheswick Village Apartments.
The day care was full of kids on Friday, because many schools are on fall break.
“If they’re willing to shoot a police officer then I feel like they have nothing else to lose,” said Jamal Jennings, who also works at the day care.
“It’s still crazy that it happened so close to kids like this,” said Martin.
The staff at the day care said they are always thinking safety first and have plenty of precautions in place.
“The point to consider that (the two officer-involved shootings on Thursday) is striking. There are many, many times every single day that quite honestly force can be used by an officer than can result in death,” said Rick Snyder, president of the Indianapolis Fraternal Order of Police no. 58.
IMPD said people in the area should be on the lookout and if they see anything suspicious to call Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS.
