INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett made an impassioned plea to the public during a press conference Thursday morning following a quadruple homicide.
"It is clear that last night our city experienced an incredible tragedy. One fueled by senseless violence," Hogsett said. "In the blink of an eye, four young have been lost. Victims of a cycle of pain and hopelessness that has become all too common in our city and other urban areas across the country."
Three men and one woman between the ages of 19 and 21 were found shot to death inside an apartment on the city's northeast side late Wednesday evening.
READ | Victims of quadruple homicide were between 19-21 years old
"As Indianapolis begins today with a prayerful mourning for the families of these victims - and frankly for our public safety community - let me be clear: We can never allow ourselves to become numb to the scourge of gun violence and the toll that it is taking on whole generations of young people. This is not acceptable. This is not who we are as a city. This isn't who we are as neighbors, as brothers, as sisters, as fathers, as mothers. This is not normal."
IMPD chief Randal Taylor shared similar sentiments about the latest surge in crime.
"We are heartbroken for the families and for the community. Men and women of the IMPD are responsible for the safety of the citizens of this city and we take this very seriously," Taylor said. "The tragedy that we saw last night, it doesn't make any sense and we are focused on holding accountable the person or persons that is responsible for this. But we can't do this alone - we've talked about it before - we're going to need help."
"We can and we will turn this sadness and this reflection into a community call to action," Hogsett said. "Action."
The deaths brought the total homicide count for Indianapolis to 24 for 2020, eight more than the same time last year.
It's something the city has been focusing on for the past several years as crime appears to continue on an upward trend, although 2019 saw a decline in homicides across the city for the first time in several years.
"Nothing said by any of us or anyone outside this room does anything to help our young people unless it leads to action. Because despite millions of dollars in taxpayer investments in policing and in neighborhood anti-violence initiatives in recent years, time and time again we are confronted with the ripple effects created by a proliferation of gun, drugs and poverty in our neighborhoods.
"Local government has created committees, commissions and funded studies. We've heard from subject matter experts and adopted best practices. We've hired hundreds of new officers, we've equipped our department with new technology, bolstered witness protection and doubled funding for anti-violence groups. We face a challenge that traces its path across generations and through neighborhoods, but at its core it will never be solved by government alone and it certainly will not be solved by politics. What we are confronted with is a question of who we are as a people. What we are confronted with are broken hearts and lost souls. After years of plans and appropriations it is clear the work to mend those wounds will take place in classrooms, in church basements, in community centers as much as it will inside the walls of the city-county building. There are no opponents over this issue. We all want this solved, especially the families of the young people who fear violence daily. I share their frustrations, I share the anger of so many this morning - but I remain confident that our path toward peace will require open hearts, not clenched fists. Let us resolve that these mindless acts are unconscionable but not unstoppable. Let us come together as one city to pursue the changes in hearts, minds and policies that will make our community safer for all the residents of Indianapolis."
READ | Breaking trend, Indy homicide numbers went down in 2019 — for the first time in four years
Chief Taylor also joined community and faith leaders Thursday afternoon for a prayer vigil at the complex where the shooting took place.
You can hear their comments below.
More from Mayor Joe Hogsett:
"The idea that if we only had one more bureaucratic entity studying violence, then our problems would be solved — that is ludicrus — let me say in 30 seconds what a study commission would take 30 weeks to tell us all. Systemic pvoerty is creating a school to prison pipeline for generation after generation of our young people. An opioid epidemic and a mental health crisis have added gasoline to that fire. Too many illegal guns are awash on our streets. Our juvenile justice system is antiquated. These things taken together is what's driving violence on our streets, we know this, the community knows this. Our focus is and will continue to be on action — not words, not committees not commissions, but actions. And that's exactly what I plan to dedicate my actions toward in the coming days and weeks ahead."
