INDIANAPOLIS — A man shot to death outside a family’s home on Indy’s east side was identified Thursday.

Hearing three gunshots Wednesday afternoon on Kenyon Street, a group of people, including young kids, rushed to try and save the life of 33-year-old Michael Hess.

“I had one of the grandgirls breathing in his face because he needed oxygen,” neighbor Stella Fleming said. “I’m on the phone. It was crazy.”

Despite those efforts, Hess later died in the hospital.

The shooting took place in front of a home belonging to Hess’s aunt, who said the violence stemmed from an ongoing dispute involving a woman.

“It’s sad,” Fleming said. “That young boy lost his life about nothing. It’s sad.”

Hess’s death marked the 99th homicide of the year in Indianapolis, which remains the second deadliest total on this date in recent history and far exceeds the totals on this date prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The failure to resolve conflict peacefully is one of the leading causes of violence and something the city is trying to prevent.

“We aim to reduce violence by providing our services to folks,” said Vanessa Romero.

Romero runs Indy’s Center for Conflict Resolution. With the help of the Public Safety Foundation, since 2021 the group has worked to provide mediation and coaching services to teach people how to resolve disputes without violence.

“It can be anything under the sun, from noise complaints to property issues,” Romero said. “We talk about how to work it out.”

The city’s center for conflict resolution offers resources for family conflicts, neighbor disputes, consumer/business disputes, employer/employee disputes, interpersonal issues and eviction disputes.

They don’t offer conflict resolution for domestic violence disputes, custody/divorce issues, mental health issues or when criminal charges have been filed. A link to their website can be found here.

In addition to the killing on Kenyon Street, Indy police confirmed 61-year-old Jeffrey Davis was beaten at a home on Capitol Avenue before he too died in the hospital this week.

Police initially called that the city’s 100th homicide, but later clarified the case remains a death investigation.

Regardless of the number, people like Fleming said they are just tired of the constant violence.

“It didn’t have to happen,” she said. “They don’t respect nobody’s life. It needs to stop. We’re killing ourselves over nothing.”

Anyone with information about the Kenyon Street incident is being asked to contact Detective Stephanie Herr at the IMPD Homicide Office by calling (317) 327-3475 or by email at Stephanie.Herr2@Indy.gov.

Alternatively, people can call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at (317) 262-8477 or (TIPS) to remain anonymous.