INDIANAPOLIS — A University of Indianapolis student and former football player is dead after an apparent shooting early Thursday morning on the northeast side of Indianapolis.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers were called around 1:15 a.m. to the 5900 block of Radnor Road, near East 46th Street and North Arlington Avenue on the report of shots fired, IMPD Officer Samone Burris said in a press release.
An IMPD nightwatch captain at the scene told WRTV officers found a man in with at least one apparent gunshot wound outside a home when they arrived.
The Marion County Coroner's Office has identified the man as Koebe Clopton, 20. The coroner's office hasn't determined the cause and or manner of death yet.
In a statement, UIndy President Robert L. Manuel said Clopton was a junior and former member of the football team.
"Our primary concern is for Koebe’s family, friends, and others who are grieving his loss," Manuel said. "We stand ready to help them with any counseling or additional resources they may need and have mobilized our counseling services to be available for anyone in our community who may need them."
Clopton attended Morton High School in Hammond, according to his 2019 roster page posted on UIndy's website.
He played on the team from fall 2019 to the spring of 2021, Associate Athletics Director for Communications Ryan Thorpe said in an email. He didn't see any playing time during the 2019 season and left the team in March prior to the spring season.
The university's Office of Student Affairs is coordinating counseling resources to help the campus community, Manuel said.
"We are a close-knit community and we are devastated by the loss of Koebe, who was a member of our UIndy family," Manuel said. "This loss reminds us how precious life is and the importance of supporting each other through times of unexpected tragedy.”
You can read Manuel's full statement below:
We are all deeply saddened by the loss of Koebe Clopton. Koebe was a junior at the University of Indianapolis and a member of the UIndy football team. Our primary concern is for Koebe’s family, friends, and others who are grieving his loss. We stand ready to help them with any counseling or additional resources they may need and have mobilized our counseling services to be available for anyone in our community who may need them. Our Office for Student Affairs will coordinate counseling resources to members of our campus community who feel impacted by this event. We are a close-knit community and we are devastated by the loss of Koebe, who was a member of our UIndy family. This loss reminds us how precious life is and the importance of supporting each other through times of unexpected tragedy.
The incident is still under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Brad Nuetzman at 317-327-3475 or email him at brad.nuetzman@indy.gov, or report tips anonymously to Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-TIPS (8477) or online.
