INDIANAPOLIS— Two IMPD officers have been indicted by a Grand Jury on multiple counts resulting from a December 2022 shooting.
Anthony Maclin was shot while sitting in a rental car outside of his grandmothers home on Dec. 31, 2022 in the 3600 block of N. Oxford Street.
According to an IMPD report, officers were dispatched to for reports of a suspicious vehicle in the driveway around 4 a.m. The caller, who turned out to be Maclin’s grandmother, Vicki Driver, did not know who the person was.
Upon arrival, officers found an adult male sleeping in the driver’s seat armed with a gun.
The officers report that they knocked on the window and said “Police. Hands up.”
When Maclin awoke, three officers fired their service weapons a total of 30 times, striking Maclin three times, according to his attorneys.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears announced today that a grand jury has indicted officers Carl Chandler and Alexander Gregory on two counts of Aggravated Battery, Battery with a Deadly Weapon, Battery Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, Criminal Recklessness, Criminal Recklessness and Battery Resulting in Moderate Bodily Injury.
READ MORE | Family seeks accountability for officers who shot man sleeping in grandma’s driveway
“We are thankful to the Maclin family for their patience and grace during this immensely difficult time,” Prosecutor Mears said.
Attorneys representing Maclin released the following statement:
Today a Marion County Grand Jury took the first step in holding IMPD Officers Alexander Gregory and Carl Chandler accountable for their actions on December 31, 2022. On that day these two officers fired more than 30 rounds into Anthony’s car, three of which struck Anthony. The supervising officer, Lucas Riley, fired only one round. This police shooting was senseless. Anthony was not committing a crime, was not accused of committing a crime, had not threatened anyone, had not attempted to harm anyone, and posed no immediate threat to the officers or anyone else. Despite this, Gregory and Chandler fired into the car for seven seconds, unloading their magazines and leaving Anthony’s car riddled with bullet holes. While Anthony had a firearm in the car—and a license to carry the firearm—he never reached for the gun. He never had the gun in his hand, and he certainly did not point the gun at officers. Anthony’s only ‘offense’ was being a young black man in a high crime neighborhood. This ‘shoot first and ask questions later’ approach to policing is illegal and cannot be tolerated, which is why the family is grateful that the criminal process will proceed against Officers Gregory and Chandler.
Although criminal prosecution is one way to hold police officers accountable, there is another obvious way to do so. Anthony and his family again call upon Chief Randal Taylor to suspend Officers Gregory and Chandler without pay and recommend their termination by the Merit Board. Although the Merit Board cannot take final action until after the criminal process plays out, Chief Randal has the authority to recommend termination and suspend the officers without pay for up to six (6) months. He has done that selectively in the past, but never in a case involving deadly force. This unwritten policy sends the wrong message to IMPD officers. Until officers understand that they will lose their job and paycheck if they violate policy when using deadly force, they will continue to do so.
Chandler is a five-year veteran of IMPD and Gregory is a three-year veteran of IMPD.
Attorneys representing Chadler and Gregory released the following statement:
We are extremely disappointed in the Marion County Prosecutor’s decision to file criminal indictments against Officers Chandler & Gregory. These officers acted in accordance with their training to defend their lives when a subject grabbed a gun and raised it toward them. Video, testimonial, and other evidence will establish the legality of their actions. These charges only represent probable cause to hold a trial and are not proof of guilt.
This attempt by the Marion County Prosecutor to criminalize officer’s actions taken in the performance of their duties while protecting themselves and the public represents an alarming trend of targeting police officers. The men and women of law enforcement are not only legitimately in fear of their personal safety in an increasingly violent community, but are too often also being placed in legal jeopardy for simply trying to do their jobs.
Officers Chandler & Gregory look forward to a full and fair opportunity to defend themselves in court and establish that they acted legally and appropriately.
Mears tells WRTV the IMPD Supervision on scene was not charged.
"Just because you were present doesn't mean you are guilty," said Mears. "There has to be an evaluation of what actions did that person take or not take and in this particular situation there are no charges being filed against Officer Riley."
Friday's indictment means the criminal cases will now move forward in a trial. A jury will make the decision if the officers will be found guilty without a reasonable doubt in order for a conviction.
"We just want people to feel like there is a fair hearing to evaluate the facts in a way that hopefully leads to justice, where everybody is getting a fair shake and day in court," Mears said.
IMPD issued the following statement regarding the indictment:
Earlier today, Chief Randal Taylor learned the grand jury decision regarding an officer-involved shooting at 3600 Oxford Street on December 31, 2022. This grand jury decision resulted in an indictment on each officer on two counts of Aggravated Battery (Level 3 Felony), Battery with a Deadly Weapon (Level 5 Felony), Battery Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury (Level 5 Felony), Criminal Recklessness (Level 5 Felony), Criminal Recklessness (Level 6 Felony), and Battery Resulting in Moderate Bodily Injury (Level 6 Felony).
Like all charging decisions, this process was overseen by the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office. The charges will now be filed and will be subjected to the rigors of the criminal justice system. Chief Taylor respects the criminal justice process.
As with anyone under indictment, the officers should be considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Chief Taylor placed both officers on administrative leave following the return of the indictments and will review the internal affairs investigation with his Executive Staff.
This case will be presented to the civilian-majority Use of Force Review Board at the conclusion of the criminal process.
A grand jury consists of six grand jurors and one alternate who reside in Marion County and are impaneled by the Marion County Superior Court. Individuals summoned for possible service on the grand jury are drawn from the same sources and called in the same manner as citizens summoned for regular jury duty. Grand jurors must arrive at a majority decision to issue an indictment or no-bill.
