Two killed in homicide police are investigating as 'justifiable'

INDIANAPOLIS— Another Indianapolis shooting is being investigated as a justifiable homicide by IMPD.

Around 1 a.m. Tuesday morning, IMPD officers responded to a call of shots fired on the second floor of Rolland Manor apartments near 21st street and Ritter Avenue.

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Michael Beck Jr. and David Rodgers were listed as the two men killed early Tuesday morning. A third victim was transported to a nearby hospital in stable condition.

IMPD says they are currently investigating a case of a justifiable homicide which is a homicide where someone is acting in self defense.

An IMPD spokesperson shared that they had seen a significant increase in justifiable homicides in 2023.

Attorney Guy Relford is an expert on self defense law.

“Homicide is just the intentional killing of a human being and whether it's legitimately in self defense,” explained Relford. “It’s a crime that is determined by the law of self defense.”

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Relford explained that self defense cases are not as simple as one may think.

“It's not an easy defense to make at all, because they're, they're two different levels and different requirements for that defense,” shared Relford.

Relford has represented numerous self defense cases in court. He explained that the location of the self defense can have a big impact on the case.

“We have a set of rules at home under the castle doctrine that say, I can use reasonable force,” said Relford.

That said, Relford explained that the rules change in public settings.

“I can't just say, Oh, I thought he was going to kill me, so I shot him,” explained Relford.

He shared there are numerous complexities while investigating a self-defense shooting that occurred in public.

“I have to establish that that's a reasonable belief under what's called the totality of the circumstances. So was there a weapon involved? Did the person attempt to hurt me? Did the person communicate to me and intend to hurt me?” Relford said.

When asked why he believed there has been a rise in self defense homicides, Relford pointed towards the rise in gun ownership and crime.

“It's becoming quite normal for a lot of people in Indiana, to have the means to defend themselves,” shared Relford. “Unfortunately, given the amount of crime that we have in Central Indiana, people are called upon to defend themselves, but where they do, and that's legal, and that's justified.”