Family of slain Indianapolis youth mentor seeks justice
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A community is looking for answers after a youth mentor was shot and killed on Jan. 12.
Now the community is saying enough is enough and they’re asking the community to step up.
Johnny Purchase’s family and the Indianapolis community are relying on their faith in God to help them heal and find answers after the tragic murder of 60-year-old Purchase. His son said he was known for being a man who loved his community and wanted to see the youth in the area succeed.
“Everything that Martin Luther King stood for, my dad did,” said Purchase’s son, Jonathan Purchase.
Johnny Purchase used his job at the Edna Martin Christian Center to spread a message of nonviolence and social services. Unfortunately, that message was cut short when he himself became a victim of gun violence while he was serving in the community. He was shot at an apartment complex on 25th Street and Hillside Avenue.
“To him it was just another day. If he could have helped another person that would have been mission accomplish to him,” said Purchase.
His family and friends hosted a vigil to honor and celebrate his life and ask the community to help them get justice for their father.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Chief Randal Taylor and Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett put out a call to action and encouraged the community to continue his work.
“Those of us gathered today have some of his light in all of us. We must commit to carrying his legacy by spreading it even further in every neighborhood,” said Hogsett.
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Purchase believes solving this case is bigger than just his father.
“We are grateful for their support, but we would be more grateful if we could get answers, and we could get answers to other cold cases. I definitely want to make it about my father, but there is a bigger issue here,” said Purchase.
The family is having two funerals. One funeral will be in Indianapolis and a second in his hometown in Missouri. The family has started a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses.
You can report a tip to Crime Stoppers here.
