Some parents on alert after teen dies in shooting at Fishers field house
FISHERS, Ind. (WISH) — Many people in Fishers said they’re in shock after finding out a teenager was shot and killed at a well-known field house on Thursday night.
Police said 17- year-old Thomas Pearson Jr. is dead and another 17-year- old is in the hospital.
According to police, the two were walking to their car in the parking lot of Best Choice Fieldhouse when they were shot. Police are now looking for a brown Toyota Camry as a possible suspect vehicle.
Police are calling the shooting a “targeted attack,” but parents told News 8 that just knowing whoever did this is still out there makes them feel very uneasy.
“Literally the first thing I said to my husband was ‘Did they catch the shooters?’” Lauren Ahlwardt said.
Megean Bauer said, “Fishers is a very safe place you definitely don’t think about it being somewhere that you’re going to see a shooting happen, with especially children.”
A spokesperson from the field house hopes to ease some concerns. Roger Harvey said in a statement on Friday:
“The incident that occurred in the parking lot of Best Choice Fieldhouse yesterday evening is tragic, and our hearts go out to the victims and their families. Fishers Police Department has indicated this was a targeted attack and there is no current threat to the community. We will continue to fully cooperate with law enforcement. In 17 years of operation, Best Choice has never experienced an incident like this on its premises and the safety of the athletic community is our utmost priority. Out of an abundance of caution, we will have a law enforcement presence at our facility this weekend to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all.”
Police said they could communicate with the teens before they were taken to the hospital. So far, police have not connected a fight or disagreement with the incident.
Ahlwardt hopes more questions are answered soon but said she believes Fishers will continue to be a safe place for families and children.
“We don’t know the situation very much yet so it’s always putting our trust in our first responders and making sure they’ve got the information we need and we just have to trust that.”
