INDIANAPOLIS — A person is dead after a shooting on Indianapolis’ east side.

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said it happened just after midnight on Ritter Avenue near 21st Street. Officers arrived and found the victim, who was taken to a hospital with critical injuries.

The Marion County Coroner’s Office later confirmed the victim, identified as 53-year-old Jason Alexander Payton, died.

Police have not said what led to the shooting. No one is under arrest.

This is a developing story.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The late Bob Knight’s first-ever recruiting class as Indiana basketball’s head coach hit the red carpet for the “First Five” World Premiere at the Heartland Film Festival.

The documentary tells the story of five Midwestern young men from modest backgrounds who made up Coach Knight’s first IU team and laid the foundation for one of the most dominant dynasties in college basketball history.

The 1971-1975 class of Steve Ahlfeld, Doug Allen, Steve Green, John Kamstra, and John Laskowski were at the Scottish Rite Cathedral on Wednesday for a first look at the documentary.

“We were playing for Coach Knight, we were winning a lot of games, and we thought that was the end of the game,” Laskowski said. “Your last game’s over, you’re done playing ball, and you go on with life. 50 years go by, and people say, ‘wait a minute, we think there’s a story there; you’re one of the first five guys he brought to Indiana to start his great run… and tell us more about the story’, and that’s exactly what we did. Not knowing it would be as popular as it was going to be. But we’re grateful that we had the chance to do it.”

Steve Ahlfeld, a member of three consecutive Big Ten Championship teams and the team’s orthopedic surgeon for nearly four decades, described what fans should expect from the documentary.

“It’s a true, honest look at what it was like to be one of the first five recruits in Coach Knight’s first class,” Ahlfeld said. “We tell it realistically, and I think it’s going to be something that Indiana fans and people in general will really enjoy, and they’ll hear some things they’ve never heard before.”

“Brings back great memories of Big Ten Championships, playing for national championships, number one rankings, and just great memories,” Ahlfeld added. “So much excitement for the great Indiana fans, it was such an enjoyable period of time and a lot of respect to be part of something bigger than yourself.”

Grant Gruffin, the “First Five” director, added how proud he is to tell the story of Coach Knight’s first recruiting class.

“These guys came to Indiana University not knowing who Bob Knight was or really what he was about. For them, it was taking a leap of faith to come and to let him shape them into the young men that they became and to build the basketball program that he envisioned from the start. It’s an amazing story about how these guys really went through a lot. They grew, they came together and developed a brotherhood that stands 50 years later.”

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Christa Pike was “angry and confused” in the hours after regaining consciousness following Tennessee’s failed execution attempt, first asking, “Where am I?” her lawyer said Wednesday.

Pike, believed to be the first person to survive after receiving lethal injection drugs during an execution, stunningly woke up as plans were being made to remove her from life support, just six days after she was strapped to a gurney in the death chamber, said attorney Randy Spivey.

“But on Tuesday, to the shock of everyone … Christa woke up and began talking,” Spivey said.

Pike, who was sentenced to death for the 1995 beating and stabbing death of classmate Colleen Slemmer, is aware of what happened to her, at least up to a point, Spivey said.

Many questions remain, though, about her prognosis for recovery and whether Tennessee will make another attempt to execute Pike, now age 50.

Her lawyers said Wednesday that she has suffered enough and want the governor to commute her sentence. A judge in Nashville told the state on Wednesday to save evidence from the execution attempt as Pike’s attorneys try to find out more.

The failed execution on Sept. 30 has renewed scrutiny of how states carry out the death penalty, in particular the use of lethal injection. Texas was set to carry out Wednesday the first execution in the U.S. since Tennessee attempted to put Pike to death.

Pike faces a long recovery, lawyer says

Pike’s legal team said she still can’t move her arms or swallow and has some cognitive confusion. She also has pneumonia and a blood clot in her arm, Spivey said. Her hands were extremely swollen when they saw her Tuesday in the hospital, shackled to a bed, he added.

Her prognosis remains unclear and she has a long road to recovery, he said.

“She is angry and confused about everything right now,” Randy Spivey said during a news conference following a court hearing about preserving evidence.

Spivey, who was not with Pike when she woke up, was told her first words were, “Where am I?” and “Who are you?”

Pike’s attorneys want evidence preserved

The Death Penalty Information Center says Pike is the first person to survive after receiving lethal injection drugs during an execution.

At the hearing Wednesday, a judge told the state that the Tennessee Department of Correction needs to save evidence including “anything that was in the actual room.”

Chancery Court Judge I’Ashea Myles said she plans to issue a sweeping order that will direct the state to maintain recordings, witness accounts, emails, drugs, syringes, IV lines and other medical items.

The Tennessee Attorney General’s Office had argued a court order was unnecessary. John W. Ayers, assistant attorney general, said some evidence from the death chamber already had been collected and logged. He declined to comment after the hearing.

Pike’s attorneys accused the state of carrying out the attempted execution in secrecy, saying more transparency is needed. They also repeated their calls for clemency for Pike. Republican Gov. Bill Lee has not yet indicated how he’ll respond.

Outside the courthouse, Michelle Nowell yelled “Justice for Colleen” as Pike’s attorneys talked with supporters.

“The victim is Colleen. The victim is not Christa Pike,” said Nowell, who was among a group outside the prison last week where the failed execution took place.

What happened in the execution chamber remains unclear

The governor postponed the state’s only other execution for this year and ordered a review of what went wrong. The state’s prison chief resigned.

Medical and lethal injection experts have focused on the possibility that a problem with the IV line caused the drug to pool in her tissue rather than entering her bloodstream.

Pike’s attorneys wrote in a court filing that “apparently at no point did any member of the execution team realize that the IV lines were not correctly placed or that the veins had blown.”

State officials have not yet offered an explanation.

The attempted execution got underway when Pike was given a chance to make a final statement. About five minutes later, she raised her head and said her arm was hurting. At some point she appeared to lose consciousness, but she could be heard breathing heavily until media were escorted from the witness room nearly 90 minutes into the execution. An ambulance took Pike to a hospital.

Dr. Joel Zivot, a professor of anesthesiology and surgery in Atlanta who consulted as an expert for Pike’s legal team, said it could be weeks or months before anyone knows exactly what her recovery might look like, and whether her competency could be restored so the state can try again to execute her.

Associated Press writers Ed White in Detroit and John Seewer, in Toledo, Ohio, contributed.

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana’s candidates for secretary of state will meet Wednesday night for their second debate of the election season.

Republican Max Engling, Democrat Beau Bayh, independent Greg Ballard and Libertarian Lauri Shillings will take part in the debate from 7-8 p.m.

WISH-TV will livestream the debate beginning at 7 p.m. Viewers can watch on WISH-TV, WISHTV.com, the WISH-TV app and the WISH-TV Facebook page.

The debate comes after the candidates met for their first debate in August.

The four candidates enter the race from different professional backgrounds. Ballard, a former Republican mayor of Indianapolis, collected about 74,000 signatures to qualify for the ballot as an independent. Engling, a former staffer for Sen. Jim Banks, secured the Republican nomination after defeating incumbent Diego Morales at the state convention this summer. Bayh, a former U.S. Marine Corps captain, is the son of former Indiana governor and U.S. senator Evan Bayh. Schillings, a small business owner, is the chairwoman of the Hamilton County Libertarian Party.

The Indiana Debate Commission is hosting Wednesday’s event. Commission President Elizabeth Bennion described the organization as “an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to putting voters first.”

The full debate will also be available on WISHTV.com after the event.

INDIANAPOLIS — A homicide investigation was underway Wednesday morning after a male was found dead with trauma injuries outside a near north side office building.

Online police reports show Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers were dispatched to the 3700 block of North Meridian Street just south of 38th Street around 8:40 a.m. after the person was found unresponsive in the parking lot of the building.

Officers arrived and found a male with unspecified “trauma wounds.” He was pronounced dead at the scene.

IMPD Sgt. Hibschman told media at the scene they believe the victim’s injuries were “potentially puncture wounds,” but the Marion County Coroner’s Office will determine the exact cause of death.

Hibschman says while detectives are searching for security camera footage from nearby businesses, IMPD asks anyone in the community with information to come forward.

“This is somebody that’s lost their life, and while we don’t know the circumstances surrounding that, it’s still a life lost and that still impacts everyone here,” she said. “I mean, somebody had to see this, and it’s unfortunate. Our officers are here, and they have to see this. It’s another life lost, and that’s not lost on anybody.”

IMPD did not say what might have led up to the victim’s death or if there were any suspects.

INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis residents can now track new data centers, gas stations and other developments in their neighborhoods through a new online tool. The Department of Metropolitan Development launched the free zoning case viewer to provide up-to-date information on property changes and neighborhood projects.

“It’s just natural to want to know what’s going on in your neighborhood, what’s changing,” said Logan Lane, long-range administrator for the department.

The tool allows users to search for property changes, such as requests to turn a house into a commercial business. Residents who see the city’s orange zoning signs can enter the case number into the viewer to see project details.

“It just allows people to look at cases in their neighborhood that are going through a rezone or a variance case, et cetera, and allows them to get a little bit more information,” Lane said.

Users can also search by address or general area to find upcoming public hearings.

“You can go in to the viewer, put in the case number, the address or even just search on the general area, and find out what is happening around you so that you can be aware of the upcoming hearings that might be associated with that and other things that are going on with that case,” said Trena Roudebush, the department’s chief communications officer. “It was built to be intuitive and easy to use.”

INDIANAPOLIS —  Indianapolis officials are working to improve safety near the Monon Trail and 86th Street on the city’s north side. The stretch of 86th Street between Meridian Street and Allisonville Road is undergoing a major overhaul, but the construction is frustrating some residents.

For drivers, the project requires navigating around active construction zones and an extended new median.

“Happy to see construction happening when it comes to the roads. The frustrating part comes when there’s little to no notice. And with that, it creates havoc and confusion for drivers, walkers runners,” driver Dennis Wheeler said.

The Department of Public Works began construction Tuesday. Crews are excavating 86th Street to install a new pedestrian refuge island and a crosswalk. They are also extending the medians to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists to cross from the Monon Trail.

Daniel Stevenson, Indy DPW deputy director of policy and planning, said, “This project will directly improve traffic in the area for both vehicular traffic and for pedestrians to make it a safer corridor for people get through.”

Stevenson added that access to shopping centers on both the north and south sides of the street will change. Drivers will only be allowed to turn right when entering or exiting, a move intended to reduce crashes between cars and pedestrians.

DPW estimates construction will finish by April. In the meantime, traffic is restricted to one lane in each direction on 86th Street.

“There’s a lot of rush hour traffic that goes up and down 86 street and doing away with two lanes and in just that few blocks is very inconvenient,” driver Antonette Heaggans said.

Jeff Plawecki has biked in this part of town for 10 years. He says this is one of the most dangerous intersections in Indianapolis and is happy to see the work.

“Whatever they’re doing here they almost can’t make it worse,” Plawecki said.

Stevenson said 15 pedestrians and cyclists have been hit in this area. At the specific intersection of 86th Street and the Monon Trail, two crashes happened, including one fatality.

Cyclists and pedestrians say the construction is a good idea overall. However, some argue the intersection feels more dangerous now due to construction equipment and detour signs.

“On my way back north I took the detour on my way back to the intersection. When I did that I almost got hit twice by drivers not paying attention,” cyclist Logan Seger said.

(AP) — Tennessee death row inmate Christa Pike is awake and speaking at a hospital, her lawyers said Tuesday, six days after the state’s failed attempt to execute her by lethal injection left her unconscious and on a ventilator.

Pike, 50, survived two doses of pentobarbital as executioners attempted to put her to death last Wednesday for the 1995 beating and stabbing death of classmate Colleen Slemmer. The lethal injection drug didn’t kill her, but her lawyers said her arms were left burned and blistered.

Her survival raises further questions about her medical and legal future. Her attorneys said her prognosis remains unclear and that she faces a long recovery.

“Against all odds, Christa Pike is conscious, speaking, and continues to receive critical medical care,” attorneys for Pike said in a statement. “Despite the severe damage she endured to her arms, she is still handcuffed and shackled to the bed. Her recovery is medically unprecedented.”

Her attorneys said they are grateful for the first responders and the medical team at the hospital “who treated Christa like a human and have provided exceptional care to her.”

It’s the first indication Pike’s health has improved

As recently as Sunday, Pike’s attorneys said she had remained unconscious and on a ventilator.

Dr. Joel Zivot, a professor of anesthesiology and surgery in Atlanta who consulted as an expert for Pike’s legal team, said the development “bodes well for a good recovery.” But, he added, it could be weeks or months before anyone knows exactly what her recovery might look like, and whether her competency could be restored to a level that might enable the state to try again to execute her.

“She’s still in the ICU,” he said. “She has recovered to a certain degree that she’s able to be off a ventilator and able to speak, but in no way would I announce her free of further serious risk. There’s still a lot of bad things that can happen here, even when everyone is doing their job well.”

A spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Correction said she could provide no information other than that Pike remained hospitalized Tuesday.

A court hearing is set for Wednesday

Pike’s attorneys are set to go to court Wednesday as they seek to learn more about what happened in the failed lethal injection.

The attorneys are seeking a court order requiring the Tennessee Department of Correction to preserve evidence, including drug lot numbers, records and other information from the Sept. 30 attempted execution. Chancery Court Judge I’Ashea Myles scheduled a Wednesday morning status conference in the case.

Pike’s attorneys said in their Tuesday statement that they continue to ask outgoing Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee to commute Pike’s sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

“Christa is a survivor and will take recovery one day at a time,” her attorneys said.

Lee halted further executions following Pike’s hospitalization and ordered a “comprehensive, third-party review to determine exactly what occurred.” U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, the state’s Republican candidate to replace him, called on the state to explore other methods of execution to ensure it can continue carrying out capital punishment.

Could the state try again?

In addition to questions about competency — whether Pike can understand why she would be put to death — Pike has strong arguments that it would be cruel and unusual for the state to try again to execute her, said Deborah Denno, a Fordham Law professor who has studied execution methods for 36 years. It could also violate the prohibition on double jeopardy, trying or punishing someone twice for the same offense, Denno said.

In other recent cases, states have been allowed to try again after failing to establish a suitable intravenous line, she said, but Pike is the first person to survive after the lethal drug was actually administered.

“They carried out every aspect of the execution,” Denno said. “She didn’t die, but every process they intended, they did it.”

Seattle University Law Professor Michael Russo, who handled capital cases as a public defender in Los Angeles, called the failed execution horrible but said he doubted whether the Supreme Court would stop the state from trying again on double-jeopardy grounds, should it decide to do so.

“There’s nobody else in the history of the death penalty in this country who has gone through what she’s been through,” Russo said. But, he added, “I think what this Supreme Court would say is, her sentence was to die — to be executed — not to suffer an attempt at execution.”

___

Associated Press reporter Gene Johnson contributed from Seattle.

BOONE COUNTY, Ind. — Boone County commissioners and council members are considering removing the county auditor after a data leak exposed employee names and Social Security numbers.

Boone County held a public hearing Tuesday on the removal of Auditor Debbie Crum, who took office in 2021.

An internal investigation found Crum emailed the names and Social Security numbers of all 290 county employees to the Indiana Department of Child Services. Weeks later, a DCS employee emailed the document to four Boone County employees and two county vendors.

Boone County highway worker Matt Schaller was among the employees the data leak impacted. He testified at Tuesday’s public hearing.

“It’s not fun to deal with,” Schaller said. “We deserve better from our elected officials. Our data is still at risk and that’s what we need to protect.”

Crum apologized Tuesday for the incident.

“I’m sorry it happened,” Crum said.

County attorney Beth Copeland said Crum’s mistakes extend far beyond the data leak. During an hour-long presentation, Copeland alleged Crum repeatedly shared sensitive information over email.

Copeland also said Crum had a history of poor bookkeeping, payroll issues, paying invoices from incorrect funds, and failing to upload contracts to a transparency portal. She alleged these errors cost the county thousands of dollars.

Copeland also accused Crum of nepotism, claiming she hired and paid her daughter for county work in 2023 and 2024.

“This is a clear pattern of not just negligence, but almost a complete disregard for so many different processes,” Copeland said. “The DCS issue is the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back.”

Crum admitted to hiring her daughter but said the work was brief and the pay was minimal. The auditor said that while she made mistakes, she should not lose her job.

“What I’m asking is the facts be considered in their full context,” Crum said. “Some of these allegations concern mistakes that were corrected, some of them information provided by HR and other departments and other elected officials.”

Several Boone County residents and employees testified in support of Crum.

“I think it’s a poop show, and I think you’re out to get her for no reason,” county employee Terri Batts said. “It’s a bunch of crap. Everyone comments it’s a witch show and it really truly is. As you can tell from the evidence, nothing she’s done is criminal.”

“We must stand up for and stand beside our elected officials,” resident Karen Morton said. “She is an elected official.”

Both the county commissioners and county council must decide if Crum is guilty of “refusing, neglecting, or being unable to perform the official duties pertaining to her office.”

This would be the first time in Indiana history a county official was removed from an elected office for that reason.

The county commissioners and council will vote on a resolution in approximately two weeks. If both bodies approve the removal, a judge will then consider the case.

Crum’s attorney cited a Supreme Court case, State of Indiana v. Beth Neff, in which the state tried to remove the Yorktown Clerk-Treasurer for failing to perform statutory duties. The Delaware Circuit Court declined to remove Neff, ruling her conduct was misfeasance rather than nonfeasance. The Supreme Court affirmed that decision, noting the case did not meet the rare criteria for removal.

Boone County communications director Brent Wheat said the county is taking the issue seriously.

“The process speaks for itself, and we’re trying to be very transparent about it,” Wheat said. “We’re looking at it with our due diligence and making sure it’s done right.”

HANCOCK COUNTY, Ind. — A former Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer charged in a child molestation case has agreed to a plea deal.

According to court records, David McDaniel filed the plea agreement this week in Hancock Circuit Court. WISH-TV previously reported on McDaniel’s arrest and the accusations against him

McDaniel was charged with two Level 1 felony counts of child molesting and a Level 4 felony count of attempted child molesting.

Under the proposed agreement, McDaniel would plead guilty to the Level 4 felony count of attempted child molesting and an additional Level 4 felony count of child molesting. The two Level 1 felony charges would be dismissed.

McDaniel would also pay restitution to two victims for mental health expenses, along with court costs and a $5,000 fine.

A Level 4 felony carries a sentence of two to 12 years in prison, with an advisory sentence of six years. The plea agreement allows the sentences to be served consecutively or concurrently.

McDaniel would also be prohibited from having contact with the victims for the duration of his sentence.

A judge will decide whether to accept the plea agreement.

The victims came forward in July 2025. They told investigators McDaniel touched them inappropriately while they were sleeping. The incidents began around 2016, when the victims were about 9 years old.

The victims’ parents told investigators McDaniel sent text messages urging them not to come forward, saying he wanted to avoid public embarrassment for himself and his family.

Indiana State Police investigated the case and arrested McDaniel in July 2025.

McDaniel retired from IMPD in 2024.

If McDaniel had pleaded guilty to the Level 1 felony charges or been convicted at trial, he could have faced decades in prison.

A Level 4 felony conviction carries a sentence of two to 12 years.