INDIANAPOLIS — The violence at one Indianapolis apartment complex continues to impact its residents.
Police have responded to at least five shootings at the Amber Woods Apartment complex since April 2023. At least four of those have been deadly.
“I called my mom. I prayed about it with her. This is getting too close to home,” Tashianna Yates said.
Yates says she lives in the Amber Woods Apartment complex, and is tired of the violence impacting her community.
“I cant stop thinking about it. What if a bullet came through my son’s window? His window is the first one up here,” Yates told WRTV.
The gun violence plaguing this apartment complex isn’t anything new.
In March 2022, police say three people were shot inside one of the apartments. In Aug. 2021, police say 21-year-old Chandler Beach was killed in a double shooting. In Dec. 2021, a 10-year-old boy was shot while he was sleeping, according to police.
Now, IMPD says 46-year-old Robert Hornbuckle Jr. was found shot in a van Tuesday night off John Marshall Drive in the complex. He later died at the hospital. On Sunday, 32-year-old Stephen Hale was shot and killed in the parking lot.
“All I know is while I was upstairs feeding him, I heard about 12 shots go off,” Yates said. “By the time I came out, the van was right there. There were kids walking up to the car, looking at this man.”
WRTV reached out to Councilor La Keisha Jackson in a statement she said.
I believe in the safety and well-being of our community. Every resident deserves to feel safe in their home. That is why each year, community leaders and I gather for the annual Community Peace Walk on the Far East Side, and it ends at Amber Woods Apartments. The purpose is to send a strong and clear message to the community – we will not tolerate crime and gun violence in our city. It is heartbreaking and frustrating that these senseless acts continue to occur, most recently, in the parking lot of Amber Woods Apartments. I am committed to working with property management and IMPD to find solutions to address the recent violence, but we cannot do it alone. Everyone has a responsibility to put their guns down and help us keep our community safe. As I always say, 'See something, say something, save someone's life.'
WRTV also reached out to management at Amber Woods Apartment complex. They responded to WRTV in a statement.
We regret to learn about another tragic incident that has occurred at Amber Woods. Our thoughts remain with the victims' families during this time and we urge anyone who has information regarding the events to report it to local law enforcement.
In light of these recent incidents, we want to again assure the community that our team is actively engaged with local law enforcement and we remain committed to transparency and cooperation with their ongoing investigation. As we continue to await further information, we are working closely with authorities to explore ways to enhance the well-being of our community and residents.
We are already in the process of increasing the visible presence of security personnel throughout the community and increasing our community crime watch meeting presence to allow residents the chance to voice any concerns as they arise. We’ll be providing regular updates to our residents on the progress and details of these initiatives in the days and weeks ahead.
In the meantime, we invite our community members to come together, support one another, and stand united against violence.
Anyone with information about these incidents should call Detective Matthew Melkey at the IMPD Homicide Office at 317.327.3475 or e-mail the detective at Matthew.Melkey@indy.gov.
Alternatively, they can call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317.262.8477 or (TIPS) to remain anonymous. Citizens can also download the mobile P3tips app for Apple or Android phones to submit a mobile tip, or go to www.CrimeTips.org to submit a web tip.
