Arrest made in disturbance that led to police shooting at east side bar off Washington Street
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A man was arrested on Sunday for his alleged role in a disturbance that led to a police shooting at an east side bar early Saturday morning.
31-year-old Mar-Kel Sampson is facing charges of battery with a deadly weapon and pointing a firearm, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said Sunday.
Officers say just before 2 a.m. on Saturday, an off-duty IMPD officer was working in the area outside the Bubbaz Bar and Grill in the 10000 block of East Washington Street, near Mitthoefer Road, when an altercation happened near the bar’s entryway. Shots were fired inside the bar, injuring a male.
Investigators say that the off-duty officer attempted to defuse the situation and Sampson fired shots toward the officer. That’s when the officer engaged with the alleged suspect and shot him.
Sampson was taken to a hospital in critical condition.
Police say two people were shot in the incident. A male was found with gunshot wounds at the scene, but took himself to a hospital. He was last said to be in critical condition.
Later, around 2:30 a.m. Saturday, a female was found with gunshot wounds at a residence in the 2800 block of Carla Court. That is in a neighborhood 7 minutes away from the bar. Investigators at the scene learned that she had sustained her injuries during the original shooting at the bar.
She was taken to a hospital in stable condition.
This is the 10th police shooting in Indianapolis in 2023. Young commented on the rise of police shootings in the city, “It’s somewhat disturbing. People are getting more brazen, as you can imagine. This is a very rewarding job, however, it is a very dangerous job. Officers leave home, they leave their families every day and don’t know whether (they’re) going to come back home or not.”
IMPD says no officers or uninvolved people were injured. There is no ongoing threat to the community.
The officer who fired his weapon has been placed on administrative leave. IMPD says the officer involved was wearing a bodycam.
A court date for Sampson has not been set yet.
