INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — After a mass shooting below the downtown Artsgarden early Saturday morning, Indianapolis political leaders issued statements of grief for two teens killed and sent a warning to parents.

One spiritual leader also mourned the deaths but said in a statement that “pointing fingers solely at parents is both unjust and ineffective.”

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department’s chief said in a Saturday afternoon news conference that change will be made in relation to the enforcement of Indiana’s curfew law in the capital city. Democrat Mayor Joe Hogsett said earlier in the news conference that police have previously prioritized the education of parents about the curfew over enforcement, but now, the chief said, Indianapolis should expect an increased number of curfew detentions.

Perhaps one of the outstanding statements issued from political leaders came from Leroy Robinson, a Democrat who chairs the Indianapolis City-County Council’s public safety committee: “The Marion County Juvenile Detention Center and Juvenile Family Services currently do not have the staffing or capacity to intake and process large numbers of minors on a Friday or Saturday night.”

He called on nonprofits, youth service providers, and neighborhood organizations to help the council “in developing a coordinated response” to deal with youths who violate the curfew.

The City-County Council is responsible for funding the Marion County Juvenile Detention Center and Juvenile Family Services. County judges oversee the operations of the detection center, according to online information. The detention center and Juvenile Family Services are in the Marion County Community Justice Campus, which opened in May 2022 to consolidate county jails and justice services that were spread across the city.

However, IMPD Chief Chris Bailey said at the news conference, “Taking someone to the Family Justice Center, watching them go in the door and then out the back door is not going to help anyway. It’s not going to help families. It’s not going to help those kids.”

What’s been shared publicly so far about the shooting that happened just before 1:30 a.m. Saturday is that, in addition to the deaths of the two teens, a 16-year-old, a 17-year-old, two 19-year-olds and a 21-year-old were injured and taken to a hospital. Several firearms were found at the scene. Several people were detained. No arrests have been announced.

Also, Bailey said, his agency was overwhelmed Friday night and early Saturday responding to violence across the city, resulting in 20 arrests from shootings and fights.

Council Majority Leader Maggie Lewis, a Democrat, said in a statement that she wants to direct more “private and public” dollars to give police help from social organizations. She also called for more overtime pay for downtown police officers, and added emergency responders on Friday and Saturday nights for the rest of this summer.

The council will meet on Monday night in the City-County Building, but it’s unclear how quick any action from the councilors might come.

Council Minority Leader Michael-Paul Hart, a Republican, said in a statement, “Instead of bold leadership, we’ve seen deflection, delay, and politicization from those who are responsible for keeping our city safe. That’s not leadership, it’s negligence.”

Saturday’s violence rekindled memories of a March 30, 2024, shooting that injured seven juveniles, four boys and three girls aged 12-16, in downtown Indianapolis, at Illinois and Maryland streets, just a block south of the Artsgarden. That shooting happened about 11:30 on a Saturday night after high school boys basketball state finals games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and an Indy Eleven soccer game at Carroll Stadium.

After the April 2024 shooting, IMPD said it’d enforce Indiana’s curfew law. Yet by August 2024, IMPD told Mirror Indy and Chalkbeat — news organizations that partner with News 8 — that it wasn’t tracking its curfew enforcement, and could find that only three kids ages 10, 16, and 17 were cited for violating it.

IMPD spokesperson Alexa Boylan told Chalkbeat and Mirror Indy in their August reports, “We were trying to get parents and guardians to step it up so we didn’t have to enforce it, and that’s what we’re seeing.”

Also in the Chalkbeat report, Dena Carson, associate professor and director of criminal justice and public safety management programs at Indiana University Indianapolis, said enforcing the curfew may not be an effective strategy to curb youth violence anyway. Curfews are a method of intervention rather than prevention, she said, and they disproportionately affect youth of color in the city. “We might be causing more harm in the long run in terms of the negative consequences of police contact,” Carson said.

Thomas Stuckey, a professor of criminal justice at IU Indianapolis, told Mirror Indy that policymakers trying to address problems in real time often rely on anecdotal evidence rather than scientific data collection and analysis. But when evaluating the effect of a policy change, he said that “the answer is very often we don’t know.”

In her Saturday statement, Councilor Lewis said the council needs to readdress the implementation of the Indiana curfew law.

Councilor Robinson said in his Saturday statement that the council was preparing to introduce a new ordinance that holds parents and guardians more accountable for the actions of their children. “This is about more than enforcement — it’s about building a culture of responsibility and care, starting at home,” he wrote.

The Rev. David W. Greene Sr., president of the Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis, also issued his own statement after Saturday’s mass shooting. About parental responsibility, he wrote, “Parents play an important role. They are the first line of defense in shaping the values, decisions, and behaviors of our youth. However, pointing fingers solely at parents is both unjust and ineffective. Violence is a symptom of something far deeper, a complex system of brokenness that demands shared responsibility.”

He said the responsibility also extends to schools, community organizations, businesses, entertainment venues, and irresponsible gun use, especially in public spaces.

IMPD said Saturday that investigators did not immediately know if the firearms found around the Artsgarden were involved in the shooting.

In Indiana, juvenile records are not public, complicating the tracking of juvenile gun crimes outside of law enforcement and prosecutors’ offices. While it’s not publicly known how many gun crimes in the state are being committed by youths younger than 18, Greene wrote, “City leaders and state lawmakers must confront the uncomfortable truth: Indiana’s permitless carry law has made firearms more accessible with fewer safeguards. This is not a partisan issue but it is a public safety crisis.”

Indiana’s curfew law

IMPD said on X that Indiana’s curfew law says children age 15-17 may not be in a public place between 1 a.m.-5 a.m. Saturdays or Sundays; or from 11 p.m. Sundays through Thursday to 5 a.m. the next day.

The state law makes exceptions for a juvenile accompanied by a parent, guardian, or custodian or adult; for a juvenile accompanied by an adult specified by a parent, guardian or custodian; or a juvenile participating in, going to, or returning from work, a school-sanctioned activity, a religious event, an emergency involving the protection of a person or property from an imminent threat of serious bodily injury or substantial damage, or an activity involving the exercise of the juveniles engaging in the Constitution’s freedom of speech or the right of assembly.

The law also make exceptions for a juvenile participating in an activity conducted by a nonprofit, education, training or other care under the supervision of an adult; a juvenile participating in an activity with the prior written consent of the juvenile’s parent, guardian or custodian; or a juvenile traveling from outside Indiana to another location outside Indiana.

Quote from IMPD Chief Chris Bailey at news conference

“We should all be shaken by what occurred. We cannot grow numb to the violence in our community wherever it occurs. and we cannot accept this as normal. I stand here today angry and heartbroken, frustrated because too many lives are being lost, too many families are grieving, and too many young people are growing up around violence and trauma.

“But I also stand here with even more determination to solve this problem. I was down there last night. I took runs with our officers all night. And we had hundreds of officers out throughout the weekends who show up to ensure the safety of those enjoying our downtown. And I appreciate their willingness to protect our city. And they are equally as frustrated as all of us are right now. They ran toward danger again. As others were fleeing the gunshots, our officers ran toward them. They are the best of us. And I’m proud of their courage and commitment.

“But what I saw downtown, what I’ve seen downtown over the last few weeks, is absolutely ridiculous. Lawlessness, disrespect, reckless behavior of people of all ages. It’s not something we should expect. I watched as bottle rockets were shot from the top of parking garages onto community members below, as Roman candles were shot over people’s heads, as the fireworks were going on Monument Circle. I saw people openly using narcotics, partying in parking lots, fighting, all the while our officers chasing them around downtown. Hundreds of young people, some wearing masks, wearing clothing that’s not fitting of a 90-degree day, backpacks flung on backward for easy access to their weapons or their fireworks. And this just wasn’t kids. These were young adults and adults that should know better, should know how to act by now.

“And let me say this as clearly as I can: If you’re coming downtown to engage in this kind of lawlessness, you are not welcome. Stay home or go home. We are done with this behavior. We will use every tool at our disposal to enforce the law and save lives because that’s our priority, the preservation of life.

“People have the right to come downtown. I want them to come downtown. It is the engine of our state. But I want them to leave the same way that they came, safe and unharmed. I said this early this morning: We can’t do this alone.

“And I’m so, so thankful that it took no effort whatsoever to make phone calls today to have these community people with us standing up here with us, behind us, because they care about our kids. They care about our community. It did not take any effort at all for them to be standing here with us. We cannot do it alone. We’re not going to accomplish our goal just by enforcement, and none of us want that.

“Earlier this summer, we launched a Know Before You Go campaign, trying to set clear boundaries from parents and guardians to their children, talk to their kids about what the curfew is, decide how often they would check in, pick the best ways to stay in touch, use technology to know where they are, know their friends and their friends’ parents. We need our parents and guardians to speak up, to take charge. to be nosy. In some of those cases, I’m not so unaware that sometimes parents work and the kids are left to fend for themselves because they have to survive. I’m not aloof to that. And that’s why any kind of curfew enforcement needs to be based in help and not punishment.

“Taking someone to the Family Justice Center, watching them go in the door and then out the back door is not going to help anyway. It’s not going to help families. It’s not going to help those kids.

“So some changes that we’re making today as we move forward: We are adding camera technology to strategic locations throughout downtown that have been identified as areas of concern over the last couple weeks.

“Our Assistant Chief (Michael) Wolley is working with the divisions to add additional police resources downtown, which will be there for the foreseeable future.

“I have a commitment from Indiana State Police Superintendent Anthony Scott to add troopers to the downtown area as we move forward throughout the summer. The Indiana State Police has been an unbelievable partner to the IMPD, giving us helicopter resources and resources yesterday to make sure the fireworks area was safe and secure.

“I’ve spoken to Prosecutor (Ryan) Mears, who has offered his office’s assistance as we move forward.

“I’ve directed our officers and detectives in every single probable cause to seek stay-away orders for the Mile Square for anyone charged with crimes of violence, weapons violations, or disorderly behavior, or repeat offenders that we have run into multiple times in the area.

“We will be working with the council over the next couple weeks to update ordinances related to food vendors and food trucks, which are a constant source of issues, especially after the bars close at 3 a.m.

“And we are actively engaging with business owners, especially the owners of those surface lots who, over the last few weeks, have been problem points, sources of violence and shots fired, disorderly behavior, kids jumping from car to car to car to car, on people’s cars that aren’t theirs, with little to no oversight from the people who operate those lots.

“And as the mayor said, we will be engaging with our community, the OPHS (Office of Public Health and Safety), family court over the next several days to establish a process for increased curfew detentions.”

Statements

“Like many in our community, I, too, am sad and disheartened learning about the violent incidents that occurred downtown last night. Loss of life caused by gun violence at any age is tragic. There are no words when that victim is a child whose life has only begun. My thoughts and prayers are with the families whose lives will never be the same, and our community mourns your loss.

“It is imperative that we unite as one city and support our youth leaders, community organizers, public safety officials, elected officials and all individuals and address this situation. To address the violence we’re witnessing throughout our city, we must distribute resources to support efforts, including but not limited to:

“· Paying for downtown police overtime.

“· Providing a minimum of three Emergency Response Group (ERG) squads on Friday and Saturday nights through the end of the summer.

“· Maintain public safety presence in Broad Ripple and Castleton.

“· Readdress the proper implementation of the Enforce Curfew Law.

“· Direct dollars (private and public) to have social action organizations work with police to de-escalate situations.

“Indianapolis is our city, and it will take all of us to protect our youth, families, and neighborhoods. I look forward to working alongside community members interested in ensuring that all who visit our downtown and neighboring communities are safe.”

Indianapolis City-County Council Majority Leader, Maggie Lewis, a Democrat

“To the people of Indianapolis,

“My heart is heavy as I write to you today. In recent days, our city has been shaken by a series of senseless acts of violence—lives taken too soon, families devastated, and neighborhoods left grieving. These tragedies in downtown Indianapolis and the surrounding communities are more than just statistics; they are deeply personal losses that tear at the fabric of who we are as a city.

“As Chairman of Public Safety, I want to extend my deepest condolences to every family affected. Your pain is our pain. Your loss is felt in every corner of this city.

“We must come together—not only in grief, but in resolve.

“I want to offer my full support and unwavering confidence in Chief Chris Bailey and the dedicated officers of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department. These men and women put their lives on the line every day, working tirelessly to respond to violence, build community trust, and prevent future tragedy. Their courage and commitment deserve not only our respect but also our collective support.

“But law enforcement cannot do this alone. Public safety is a shared responsibility—and we are fortunate in Indianapolis to have a strong network of community leaders, violence interrupters, faith-based organizations, outreach workers, and neighborhood advocates who are doing the hard work of prevention and healing. I want to personally thank these organizations for stepping up every day—in schools, on street corners, and in homes—to offer hope, guidance, and alternatives to violence.

“As we look for immediate and long-term solutions, I want to share that the City-County Council is currently revisiting our curfew ordinance to ensure it is both enforceable and effective in keeping our young people safe. In addition, we are preparing to introduce a new ordinance that holds parents and guardians more accountable for the actions of their children. This is about more than enforcement—it’s about building a culture of responsibility and care, starting at home.

“However, we also recognize the practical realities that come with curfew enforcement. The Marion County Juvenile Detention Center and Juvenile Family Services currently do not have the staffing or capacity to intake and process large numbers of minors on a Friday or Saturday night. That is why we are calling on our community partners—nonprofits, youth service providers, and neighborhood organizations—to join us in developing a coordinated response that includes safe intake procedures, temporary care, and support services for youth who violate curfew.

“This is not just a policy issue—it’s a community challenge, and it will take a community solution.

“This moment calls for unity. It calls for investment—in people, in neighborhoods, and in proven strategies that disrupt the cycles of trauma and retaliation.

“Let me be clear: one life lost is one too many. We must remain focused on building a safer Indianapolis—not just through enforcement, but through opportunities, resources, and deep community relationships.

“Together, we will not let violence define us.

“We will let our response define us: unified, compassionate, and unrelenting in our pursuit of
peace.

“With you in grief and in hope.”

Leroy Robinson, Indianapolis City-County Council Chairman of Public Safety, Leroy Robinson, a Democrat

“The violence that erupted last night in downtown Indianapolis, leaving seven shot and two killed individuals, is another painful reminder of the urgency we face as a city. We grieve with the families affected and lift them in prayer. But we also rise today with a unified voice to say: no single group alone is to blame, and no single solution will suffice.

“Parents play an important role. They are the first line of defense in shaping the values, decisions, and behaviors of our youth. However, pointing fingers solely at parents is both unjust and ineffective. Violence is a symptom of something far deeper, a complex system of brokenness that demands shared responsibility.

“We must hold everyone accountable:

“· Parents and caregivers must be involved, proactive, and intentional in guiding their children, especially during late-night hours in high-risk environments.

“· Schools and community organizations must be resourced and empowered to provide safe spaces, mentorship, and positive alternatives.

“· Businesses and venues in our entertainment districts must partner with law enforcement and community leaders to ensure safety and security.

“· City leaders and state lawmakers must confront the uncomfortable truth: Indiana’s permitless carry law has made firearms more accessible with fewer safeguards. This is not a partisan issue but it is a public safety crisis.

“We cannot ignore the reality that in a state where no permit or training is required to carry a firearm, moments of conflict are more likely to become moments of bloodshed. Our legislature’s decision to make Indiana a permitless carry state has had real consequences. Until we are honest about this, we will continue to meet at vigils instead of victories.

“We call for:

“· Common-sense reforms, including mandatory safety training and red-flag protections.

“· A renewed investment in youth programs and violence intervention strategies.

“· Stronger accountability for those who use guns irresponsibly, especially in public spaces.

“This is not the time for silence or scapegoating. It is the time for shared commitment and bold action. If we want to stop the violence, we must unite not just in grief, but in responsibility.

“Because public safety is not just a parental issue, it’s a community mandate.“

Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis, The Rev. David W. Greene Sr.

“What happened early this morning is not who we are. This violence does not reflect the city we love or the communities we serve. We are better than this.

“I’m angry, heartbroken, and frustrated, but also focused and determined to make change.

“Our officers ran toward danger, and I’m proud of their courage and compassion.

“IMPD is taking immediate action, installing new downtown cameras, increasing police presence and partnering with Indiana State Police to strengthen our efforts.

“We’re seeking Stay Away Orders for those charged with violent or disorderly crimes and working with the City-County Council to tighten vendor ordinances. We’re also engaging downtown property owners to increase accountability.

“In the meantime, IMPD will continue to show up, to speak out, and to take action because that’s what this moment demands.”

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Chief of Police, Chris Bailey

“What should have been a night of celebration in our capital city, a night that Downtown Indy Inc. and countless others worked hard to make safe and welcoming, was once again overshadowed by violence.

“Thousands of families came together to enjoy the best of Indianapolis, and they did so without incident. Just hours later, we were reminded yet again of the growing crisis of violence we face. Two lives lost. More families are shattered.

“Instead of bold leadership, we’ve seen deflection, delay, and politicization from those who are responsible for keeping our city safe. That’s not leadership, it’s negligence.

“In conversations with nonprofit and faith-based leaders, we agreed: when organizations are doing effective work, the city should take notice and should support it, scale it, and share it. One of our biggest blind spots in city government is measuring effectiveness. Too often, we don’t know which programs are truly succeeding. This is something I’m determined to fix. Smart cities require smart feedback loops.

“I stand with our officers, our residents, and every neighborhood demanding safety, accountability, and consequences for those who harm our communities. That includes greater transparency in our courts, serious attention from the prosecutor’s office, and urgency from the mayor’s administration and this council.

“Indianapolis deserves better. Our families deserve better.”

Michael-Paul Hart, Indianapolis City-County Council Minority Leader, a Republican

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