Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said Saturday that downtown remains “the safest neighborhood in the city,” even after a mass shooting early Saturday morning that left two teenagers dead and five others injured.
The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. near the intersection of Illinois and Washington Streets, where hundreds of youth had gathered in the heart of downtown during Fourth of July weekend festivities. According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD), multiple firearms were recovered, and several juveniles were arrested in connection with the shooting.
The deceased victims were identified as a 15-year-old and a 16-year-old.
Despite the violence, Hogsett defended the safety of the city’s downtown core during a press conference Monday, citing comparative crime statistics. “Downtown Indianapolis continues to be the safest neighborhood in the city,” he said. “That does not mean there aren’t challenges—but relative to other areas, the data remains consistent.”
This is the third recent shooting downtown involving juveniles, and the second mass shooting near Monument Circle in the past two months. The frequency and visibility of these incidents have prompted concern from business owners, residents, and city leaders about public safety in one of the city’s most economically vital districts.
You can hear the news conference in the audio above. It runs for about 45 minutes.
IMPD Chief Chris Bailey announced a series of enforcement actions in response to the shooting, including plans to enforce the city’s longstanding youth curfew ordinance, increase police presence in downtown entertainment zones, and install additional surveillance cameras.
Bailey said additional support will also come from Indiana State Police, who will assist with patrols during peak weekend hours.
“We’re going to make it clear that downtown is not a place for large, unsupervised gatherings of young people after dark,” Bailey said.
Community advocates, however, are cautioning against over-policing and are urging the city to invest more in prevention and youth engagement strategies. Critics argue that curfews and arrests may disproportionately impact minority youth and fail to address root causes such as poverty, trauma, and lack of opportunity.
City officials said they are also exploring longer-term strategies to expand youth programs and improve access to mentoring and job training initiatives.
The latest shooting remains under investigation. IMPD is asking anyone with information or video footage from the area to contact detectives or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana.
