INDIANAPOLIS — IMPD is installing mobile trailer cameras at two Indianapolis parks after separate shootings happened at both parks on Monday and Tuesday nights.
Police said more than 40 rounds were fired Tuesday evening at the basketball court at Martin Luther King Jr. Park in the Kennedy King neighborhood. No one was injured and there were only reports of a window damaged.
“40-plus rounds fired indiscriminately, to some degree, anybody could have been injured and we’re thankful nobody was,” said IMPD Lt. Shane Foley.
Multiple people heard the shots.
”People were firing shots both ways and then the cops were coming,” said Ashley Hanson. She heard the shots in her home nearby and her roommate was out walking in the park when the shooting started.
Neighbors said the park is a busy one. MLK Park sits between two streets lined with homes and apartments.
”Everyday there’s kids here,” said Evan Julian. “There’s probably 20 to 30 people around this area.”
Julian lives a few blocks from the park and said he’s out walking his dog several times a day.
”My concern is people are going around shooting each other for basketball or no good reason, who knows what the reason is, but it’s a shame,” Julian said.
The violence has discouraged Hanson from going to the park.
”You’re thinking, ‘I need to take some sort of protection. I hope something’s not going on while I’m taking my dog out or I’m not caught in some crossfire,'” Hanson said. “So it definitely limits your want to come out here and spend time out here.”
IMPD was able to talk to people on scene.
”We had people who provided vehicle information and vehicle description and we’re hopeful that we can follow up on that,” Foley said.
Monday night saw more violence on a basketball court.
Police believe a 17-year-old was shot on the basketball court at Riverside Park.
In fact, in the last two weeks, IMPD has investigated four different shootings in four different parks.
”We expect people to be responsible,” Foley said. “Police can’t be everywhere, there are more than 200 parks. We can’t station police officers or park rangers at every park.”
Foley said IMPD is adding a mobile trailer camera at both Martin Luther King Jr. Park and Riverside Park.
Riverside Park was chosen because of the recent shootings and it’s hosting several Pride events soon.
Foley said MLK Park was chosen because of the shots fired incidents and the homicides that happened earlier in the month.
”It’s never been an incident until recently, it all came out of the woodwork,” Julian said.
Earlier this month, Kennedy King neighbors met with IMPD at the MLK Park to talk about recent violence in the area. Two people were killed near 21st St. and Ruckle on May 6 and shots were fired into a home on May 4.
Since then, neighbors have worked together to form a neighborhood watch.
”People just kind of paying attention more when they’re walking around, speaking up whenever they’re seeing something,” Julian said.
IMPD said any plans to increase patrols would be made at a district level. Right now, park rangers get to as many parks throughout the day as they can and IMPD officers patrol, as well.
An Indy Parks and Rec spokesperson said they’re looking into putting additional security cameras in MLK Park and Riverside Park.