INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Multiple murders in the last few days spark calls for change in one of Indy’s most deadly neighborhoods.
Last week, a mother was gunned down in an alley way and a 17-year-old was killed outside a church. Both killings took place near 10th and Rural.
One local faith leader says he is sick and tired of people being killed near 10th and Rural and he’s planning to hold a peace rally that he hopes serves as a wake up call.
Right now, there are no faith groups like the Ten Point Coalition focused on patrolling 10th and Rural, but Rev. Malachi Walker says something needs to be done to stop the near constant killing.
A robbery turned deadly last year on north Oxford. Kevin Sargent was gunned down during the stickup. His family says he returned fire and shot his killer leaving both men dead.
“Kevin was a good person. He didn`t deserve that as many others don`t deserve it,” said the victim’s sister Detona Sargent.
The double homicide on Oxford took place last July, but Detona says 8 months hasn`t healed her scars.
“I`m gonna be hurt until the day I die because my brother is gone,” said Detona. “It`s just painful and I know the pain will never go away because we miss him.”
Just a block away from Oxford, in an alley last week another family learned the same pain when a young mother Candice Pigee was found shot to death and over the weekend a 17-year-old died after being shot outside a church on 10th street.
This year there have already been three murders less than a mile from 10th and Rural and 2016 saw a large cluster of killings in the area last year as well.
“I`m gonna sit down with other people and organizations in the area and we`re gonna do something about this,” said Rev. Malachi Walker.
Rev. Walker says he`s planning a peace rally for the area of 10th and Rural in the coming weeks. The details are still being worked out, but Walker says clearly more resources are needed to be done to fight crime in that neighborhood.
“This is one of those communities where we have to put in all our resources and come together,” said Walker.
“That`s what we need to do. We need to come together because we`re hurting,” said Detona.
So far no arrests have been made in the shooting of the 17-year-old or in the woman killed in the alley. Anyone with information on those two cases can contact Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS.
