Indy man is arrested for murder after court records detail how a trivial argument led to a deadly shooting

INDIANAPOLIS – An Indianapolis man is arrested for murder following a deadly shooting this week outside a troubled apartment complex on the city’s near northeast side.

A trivial argument, which one witness recalled being over a light bulb, ended with 47-year-old Christopher Brown shot to death in the middle of Hillside Avenue just after 9:30 a.m. Monday.

Surveillance video showed Brown getting into an argument in the apartment parking lot with 29-year-old Frank Alexander II.

Witnesses told police they overheard Alexander threaten the victim’s life during the argument, allegedly saying, “I’ll shoot you and kill you right here.”

The pair eventually separated and Brown went inside while Alexander walked toward a fence at the edge of the property.

A few minutes later, Brown told a witness he was going to walk to a nearby gas station to get cigarettes when he was allegedly ambushed by Alexander.

Whatever the topic, police remind everyone that a verbal dispute should never lead to gunfire.

“We want you to take that deep breath. Talk it out or walk away. Nothing is worth taking a life over,” said IMPD Officer Tommy Thompson.

Video at the complex allegedly showed Alexander walk up behind the victim, fire 8 shots, and then drive away in his girlfriend’s car.

Alexander had been sleeping in his girlfriend’s car on the property.

Court records detail how multiple witnesses, including Alexander’s pregnant girlfriend, employees and residents at the apartments and even the suspect’s own mother helped police identify Alexander as the suspected killer.

Police praised that cooperation which resulted in the suspect’s arrest on Thursday.

IMPD detectives, along with the IMPD’s Violent Crime Unit (VCU), US Marshals, IMPD Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), K9, Interdiction, and IMPD Community Resource Units (CRU) located Alexander at a Subway in the 4600 block of South Harding Street.

“We need the community’s involvement and engagement with us and that’s what we want to stress is please come forward with video and statements helping us solve these crimes,” said Thompson.

The killing is the eighth homicide associated with the New Bridge apartments since 2019.

Despite being one of the deadliest apartment complexes in the city, the property manager insists they have toughened their leasing practices, added cameras and employ security seven days a week.

“We are trying the best we can to make it safe for our residents out here,” said property manager Shelly Corken.

According to the affidavit, after being arrested the suspect confessed to the killing but claimed he believed Brown was plotting to rob him based on rumors he heard.

Police believe the victim was unarmed when he was shot and did not appear to make any aggressive moves toward the suspect.

Alexander remains behind bars without bond pending the filing of formal charges.

Anyone with information about this incident should call Detective Ryan Clark at the IMPD Homicide Office at (317) 327-3475 or e-mail the detective at Ryan.Clark@indy.gov .

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