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Girl, 16, dead after shooting inside hotel room at JW Marriott; boy arrested

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A 16-year-old girl was found dead after a shooting inside a hotel room at the JW Marriott downtown early Saturday morning, according to police.

The Marion County Coroner’s Office on Saturday identified the girl as Karla Vasquez.

A 17-year-old boy has been arrested and is facing a preliminary charge of reckless homicide, IMPD said.

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers were called to the JW Marriott at 10 S. West St. Saturday just after 1 a.m. on reports of a person shot.

IMPD officers found a girl dead from an apparent gunshot wound in a room on the 20th floor, according to IMPD Maj. Harold Turner.

Turner said a lot of camera footage would be under review as investigators worked to identify a suspect.

“I am confident that we are going to find the individual responsible for this,” he said. “We’re going to identify this individual and we’re going to make an arrest on this individual very soon.”

Police announced the arrest of a 17-year-old boy Saturday around 10:30 a.m. The boy’s name has not been released. He is facing a preliminary charge of reckless homicide.

Anyone with information about this incident should call the IMPD Homicide Office at 317.327.3475 or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317.262.8477 or (TIPS). 

This article has been updated to show the victim of the shooting is a juvenile and another juvenile was arrested.

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