IMPD finds 4-year-old boy shot in Airbnb residence on near-north side
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A 4-year-old boy was stable with serious injuries Tuesday night after multiple shots were fired into an Airbnb residence on the near-north side, Indianapolis police say.
“A toddler and their family should not have to be in this type of situation,” Lt. Shane Foley of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department’s public affairs office told the news media at the scene about an hour after the shooting was reported.
The boy, who has not been identified by police, was being cared for at Riley Hospital for Children. Foley said, “We’re thankful the toddler is still alive and is in stable condition. We’re thankful this wasn’t more serious.”
He added, “I can add that this does appear to be targeted at this, at least at this residence, but I can’t say if it was at the individuals inside. It does not appear it was a random act.”
Foley says the family, who he thinks is from Indianapolis, has been going through another tragedy, which it would be inappropriate to share Tuesday night as the family deals with the injured boy.
IMPD and medics were sent to a report of a person shot just before 9:15 p.m. Tuesday in the 2900 block of North Delaware Street. That’s in a residential area.
Foley said police arrived to find nothing, but later returned to find the boy with a gunshot wound. Police believe a family member or another person had begun to take the boy to a hospital but returned to the shooting scene once medics had arrived. The boy was taken by ambulance to Riley.
The boy was said to be awake and breathing, IMPD initially said.
Aggravated assault investigators were responding to the shooting.
Foley begged people to come forward with information. “Somebody in our community knew this was going to happen, they were there when it happened, or they heard about what happened. I’m asking those people … I’m imploring those individuals who know something to come forward.”
Anyone with more information about the shooting was asked to contact the IMPD aggravated assault office at 317-327-3475 or, to remain anonymous, Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477.
This story and headline were updated Wednesday with the age of the boy.
Statement
“• We are horrified that such senseless gun violence could impact an innocent child.
“• We have reached out to our Host, booking guest and the Indianapolis Metro Police Department to offer our support and better understand what prompted this attack.
“• Out of an abundance of caution and for the privacy of our Host, we have temporarily deactivated this listing.”
Ben Breit, public affairs for Airbnb
