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Indy Crime
Since the year has started, Indianapolis police report that 33 people have been murdered compared to 19 lives lost by this point last year. That is 33 times someone decided to pull a trigger, ending a life forever, and ultimately their own. Among those 33 have been children, someone’s family member, and a friend – “why are our children killing each other? It has to stop,” was one statement that pulled directly at my heartstrings. That is a perspective I gained after hearing stories from one of Indy’s most recent panels directed by Dr. Dorothy Herron.
My peers are losing their life and all I want to do is spread awareness for something Indy activist agreed is vital to the solution and that is having serious honest talks with children at home. This I believe is where it’ll all begin. The future of Indy – the mentorship that is losing ground in our next generations, that is where I believe Indianapolis police will find their answer. The city and community are aching from the blood shed that has managed to wrap itself around these neighborhoods and families who’ve lost loved ones. Now one question remains as the revolving door keeps spinning: what can we do as a community to stop this?
My perspective is one of dozens and as I write this blog, I am giving you exactly what I took away from reading headlines, listening to panels, and following crime updates daily through twitter and reading the news. To inform those who may not know what the community of Indy has been going through since the year has begun I want to give you a gut wrenching fact of what is going on – the Coroner’s Office is essentially running out of space, needing additional staff to handle lifeless bodies. As Rick Snyder FOP President shares on social media, that is absolutely insane. Another insanely upsetting fact is that on January fourth, the first reported homicide of 2020 was a young boy, just 15 years old. A 15 year old who will never know what it’s like to get his license, graduate high school, or create a life of his own beyond that.
From one of the communities most recent panels – was the statement I think everyone needs to hear, “that if as a community you separate and divide, your children will follow.” As a human being, a hoosier, or a supportive tourist – Indy is in need of change beginning with the adults coming together as a community to not only mentor these younger generations – but to give them a support system that maybe they’re lacking in certain parts of their life. They need to know that there is an alternative to crime, and there is an answer for the hardships that they are facing as young adults. Coming from a young adult myself, I would do anything to speak to the children of Indy that are in need of hearing that they can become who they want to be, they will be great citizens and their potential is endless. Our children of Indy need to know that when they feel hopeless enough to turn to crime, that instead they can turn without hesitation to someone for help within the community.
On February 5th Indy was hit with a quadruple shooting on the east side where the lives of four young adults were lost. This was the first quadruple homicide since 2015, and the entire east-side has been impacted. The community of the east-side came together and they were luckily able to provide information to police to link them back to four suspects all charged with eight counts of murder and four counts of robbery. All who were charged were ages 17 and 19 years old, where they took the lives of four young adults in a senseless act of violence. That is eight people who all had a life ahead of them, far beyond what they could have imagined and that is where we draw the line, children killing children is something that Indy does not want or need in this revolving door.
The response efforts from communities and law enforcement coming together I believe is the backbone of solving and preventing these crimes. The continued trust that is building is what will help stop these crimes from going in silence. I encourage you to speak up, and be readily alert to all surroundings in these neighborhoods to help influence our younger generations and steering themselves away from violence. One hashtag I’ve repeatedly seen on twitter is that these are names, not just numbers. These were lives taken away from our community leaving us questioning over and over again, “why?” This is your time as a reader to take this information, sit with your children, friends, or family and have a serious talk that could eventually change the direction of Indianapolis crime this year.
There is no time in waiting for your mayor, police, or city, it is you. It begins in your home, on the streets, in your daily life. Promote safety, give your mentorship to someone you think is in need of a kind word. Indianapolis needs you and all that you can do to help our systems to stop these crimes. The moment you use your voice, guidance, and put your trust to work together as a community – that is when it begins to end.
