Violent weekend brings Indy homicides to 34 so far in 2018
A violent weekend brings the number of criminal homicides in the city to 34 so far this year — 13 more criminal homicides than police had logged by this time last year.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to four homicides from Friday morning through Sunday night.
“Our young children and youth are just being traumatized by this violence,” said the Rev. Charles Harrison, anti-violence activist. “Most of them living in these neighborhoods where they’re constantly hearing gunshots.”
By April 2, 2017, IMPD had logged 21 criminal homicides. Last year ended with more murders recorded in Indianapolis than any year in the city’s history.
Last weekend’s violence started Friday near North Tacoma Avenue and East 34th Street. A shooting just before noon killed 34-year-old Tristan Twilley. Six blocks away and about four hours later, police found 28-year-old Gregory Harris dead from an unrelated shooting.
IMPD said it has arrested 15 people in connection to homicides this year, including a suspect in Saturday night’s stabbing near 38th Street and Mitthoeffer Road.
Detectives have also spent five days looking for whoever shot and killed 1-year-old Malaysia Robson.
“The message for us is simple. If you know information, tell us,” IMPD Sgt. Chris Wilburn said of this year’s homicides. “We don’t have the luxury of living in some of our neighborhoods.”
Harrison’s Ten Point Coalition, a local group that walks the streets trying to steer young people from crime, plans to help local form a crime watch group where Malaysia was killed.
Harrison said he’d like the Ten Point Coalition to work in the neighborhood full time, but his resources are “stretched thin.”
“Some of the shooters are willing now to shoot at homes, to shoot in crowds, trying to get the person they’re really trying to hit. But, they have no regard for the fact that there are innocent people around,” Harrison said.
Detectives spent Sunday evening in the 3500 block of Hawthorne Lane investigating the killing of 37-year-old Juanti Jackson.
Anyone with information can phone in an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477. In the case of 1-year-old Malaysia’s death, a tipster could potentially earn thousands of dollars in reward money.
