INDIANAPOLIS — Community leaders, along with members of the clergy, are calling for Indianapolis residents to come together to help slow down the city’s violence.
“We must all have a role in helping eradicate the evil and rebuild our community,” Rev. Terry Webster Sr., Pastor of Nu Corinthian Baptist Church, said.
Rev. Webster Sr. says he is fed up with the violence happening around Indianapolis and how it’s impacting the city’s youth.
“Trust is the foundation that will help us go forward and that foundation that we must rebuild on,” Rev. Webster Sr. said.
Leaders including IMPD, clergy members and Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett want to see a more united front when it comes to slowing this violence down.
“Nobody likes the murders, whether they are criminal homicides or non-criminal. We are losing too many people,” IMPD Chief Randal Taylor said.
This press conference comes as Indianapolis is dealing with a violent start to 2023.
WRTV numbers show that 76 people have been killed this year as of April 27. On this same day in 2022, the number was 70. In 2021, the number was 79.
“I think the whole losing the permit thing was a wrong move. That wasn’t the whole problem. You still have an incredible access to weapons,” Chief Taylor added.
Nick Marple knows all too well how gun violence can impact someone.
Last week, Marple was one of the four people police say were shot at random by someone near the Tom Wood Porsche dealership located at the intersection of East 96th Street and Enterprise Drive.
“Luckily one of the bullets skinned my car. If I hadn’t veered off to the right, that bullet probably would have killed me,” Marple said.
Marple showed WRTV pictures of the bullet holes in his car from the incident. He hopes that gun violence slows down.
“I’ve been here for a dozen years. It’s crazy what’s going on with gun violence right now,” Marple said.
