Indianapolis police on Monday arrested a juvenile suspect in connection with a “mass murder” over the weekend that left five people dead and a child to be born.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department discovered five people Sunday morning, including a pregnant woman, shot dead inside a home. Investigators were taken to the horrific crime scene around 4 a.m. after a young boy was found with a gunshot wound just steps from the scene on Adams Street. Police said Sunday it was the “biggest shooting of mass casualties” Indianapolis has seen in more than a decade.
Authorities have identified the murders as Kezzie Childs, 42; Raymond Childs, 42; Elijah Childs, 18; Rita Childs, 13; and Kiara Hawkins, 19. The unborn baby also died.
The name and photo of the suspect have not been released because he is not an adult, police said. At this time, authorities do not believe there are any additional suspects at large.
“Yesterday we promised speedy justice for this heinous act. Today we have fulfilled that promise, “IMPD chief Randal Taylor said in a statement.
“Despite removing the alleged perpetrator of yesterday’s mass murder in our neighborhoods, the meaningless lost lives are not being recovered, hopefully it will bring us one step closer to healing as a community. I am grateful to all IMPD agents and criminal justice partners who have worked tirelessly for the past 30 more hours to do justice to these victims, their friends and families and our entire community. I ask community members to join me in praying for the continued recovery of the young man’s life has changed forever.
Although authorities believe the injured boy who was found on Adams Street was injured during the crime, no motive or further details about the tearing incident have been released. The injured young man, however, is expected to survive, Taylor said Sunday, adding that authorities believe the victims were “targets” of one or more people.
“But what we saw this morning was another kind of harm. What happened this morning, based on evidence gathered so far, was a mass murder, “Taylor said at a news conference Sunday.” More than that, we think it wasn’t accidental. “
On Sunday, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said the terrible incident has brought “terror to our community” and contacted the FBI, the U.S. local prosecutor’s office and other law enforcement agencies. police to expedite the investigation.
“I want officials to know that all the power of local, state and federal law enforcement will come for them as I speak,” Hogsett said.