INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indianapolis police responded to five separate shootings between Saturday night and Sunday morning.

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the Indianapolis Office of Public Health and Safety on Monday urged young people and families to use existing resources, and to choose safer paths before more violence continues.

IMPD Chief Chris Bailey said, “Your life is worth more than a moment of anger.”

He says enforcement is not enough, and continuing to invest in community-based prevention programs and youth outreach is more crucial than ever.

“If you own a gun, secure it. If you know of some conflict brewing, reach out to us or one of our community partners before it turns violent.”

The Indy Peace fellowship provides 18 months of life coaching and programming with local organizations to address the root causes of violence and provide opportunities to the city’s most vulnerable. It’s a partnership developed as part of the city’s Violence Reduction Strategy.

Tony Lopez is deputy director of violence reduction at the Office of Public Health and Safety “Organizations like New BOY, VOICES, these organizations are working with us to work with youth on programming, but also how they can work towards cognitive behavioral therapy, different life choices, different choices in their mindset.”

According to IMPD, since the launch of the city’s gun violence reduction strategy, there’s a more than a 50% reduction in homicides and a 44% reduction in nonfatal shootings. Crime is down compared to 2024, but it’s still a big problem.

Lopez said Indy Peace is going to do more to reach adults who are caught up in gun violence in Marion County. His team plans to be out every weekend in hot spot areas. “They’re going to relentlessly pursue these individuals to try to find out information, and really find out information on what we can do to help the. We’re going to provide whatever services we can to those individuals. We’re going to talk to all of those individuals affected, and also, talk to the people in those communities as well.”

Bailey says the community has to play a part in reforming itself, too. “There are people making decisions, bad ones, every single day that are costing lives and changing lives forever. Until those individuals choose to take a different path, we will continue to see these things.”

He urged anyone who may have witnessed or knows anything about any of the incidents over the weekend is asked to come forward and call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana.

• Neighbors, city leaders condemn weekend shootings
• 2 teens arrested after 2 other juveniles with gunshot wounds arrive at hospital
• 2 killed in northwest side mass shooting; 8 others hurt in overnight violence
• Person critically injured in shooting on Central Avenue
• Suspect apprehended after police shooting on 38th Street

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