Indy reaches 230 homicides, heads for another record-breaking year
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — In 2020, 245 people lost their lives to violence in Indianapolis. So far in 2021, 230 people have been victims of homicides, according to Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. Given the rate of violence, Indy is headed for another record-breaking year.
Late Sunday morning, IMPD homicide detectives were called to the near-west side of town. A man had been found dead near white river. Police say the victim’s life ended violently. The Marion County coroner office has not released the name of the victim and police have not said how he died. He was the 30th victim of violence in the city this month.
According to IMPD, there have been 230 homicides so far this year — only 53 have been cleared by an arrest.
I-Team 8 has reported extensively on Mayor Joe Hogsett’s efforts to curb violence in the city. The mayor has pledged $160 million over the next three years, a combination of American rescue plan money and funds from the city, towards his crime reduction plan.
From the very beginning, this year way violent. In January, four adults and an unborn child were shot to death on the east side.
In March, a family argument turned violent over stimulus money resulting in the death of a seven-year-old girl and three of her adult relatives.
In April, eight people were murdered at a FedEx facility, and the gunman took his own life before police could arrive.
In July, 33 people lost their lives to violence in 31 days, including 12-year-old Day’Shawn Bills. He had been watching TV in the front room of his grandmother’s house when a stray bullet struck him.
Earlier this month, the mayor said the city will install new surveillance cameras in the most violent neighborhoods and bring in more license plate readers in an effort to control the increasing crime.
According to data sent to I-Team 8 from the Indianapolis Fraternal Order of Police, the Indianapolis homicide rate per capita is outpacing the city of Chicago almost 2 to 1. The FOP believes the city of Indianapolis will see between 275 and 300 murders by the end of the year.