INDIANAPOLIS — A person is dead following a shooting in the parking lot of an east side former high school building.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department crews were called around 8:10 p.m. to 4900 Julian Avenue, the address listed for Thomas Carr Howe High School, for a person shot.
Upon arrival at the building, which is near the intersection of E. Washington Street and Emerson Avenue, IMPD crews found one person in the parking lot with a gunshot wound.
The victim was taken to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries. The Marion County Coroner’s Office identified him as 19-year-old Walker Lewis Whatley III.
IMPD PIO William Young said on scene that detectives have identified and are speaking with a person of interest regarding the shooting. Several bullet casings were found near Whatley in the school’s parking lot, IMPD said.
Young said that an IMPD preliminary investigation shows a basketball game was going on inside the high school when a disturbance occurred, leading to the shooting outside in the parking lot.
Young said there were still some students/juveniles inside the gym as officers swept the area. IMPD designated the school’s south parking lot at the intersection of South Bancroft and S. Howe Drive as a pickup area.
“Our officers did a very good job of making sure that the building was swept. The building was secure and we are still inside the building making sure all those teenagers or students get home to their parents,” said Young.
While speaking with media at the scene, Young said that IMPD’s investigation into the shooting is “complex” and he applauded several witnesses that stayed on scene and spoke with police.
Young also said that while Indianapolis Public Schools owns the T.C. Howe building, it is not an active high school. Rather, it is sometimes utilized as a facility for events or games.
IPS Media Relations Coordinator Marc Ransford said in a statement that the basketball game Young mentioned was not sponsored by IPS.
“This evening, Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) was informed of a shooting outside of the T.C. Howe building after a non-IPS sponsored event. IMPD is investigating and will provide updates as more information becomes available.”
Indianapolis Public Schools
