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Anti-violence group calls for curfew after weekend violence

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – City leaders are again calling for stricter curfews for teenagers.

This after a violent weekend that left at least one teenager dead.

The Marion County Coroner’s Office identified that teenager as 15-year-old Sema Jordan.

He was found dead in an alley early Monday morning.

The leaders not only want the city to act, but parents as well.

The idea is that if parents stepped in on enforcing an earlier curfew, the city wouldn’t have to.

“A little bit of an opportunity at least. I mean you never know what’s going to happen. Unforeseen occurrences, but at least the parents know where they’re at,” said Brandi Passley, explaining her support for the curfew.

“It saddens me that kids are getting shot. kids are getting killed,” said Rev. Charles Harrison of the Indy Ten Point Coaltion.

Saturday night police say a 17-year-old girl was left in critical condition after a drive-by shooting downtown near the Statehouse. Another 17-year-old and an 18-year-old were also shot.

“When you’re out here at 11 p.m., 12 a.m., 1 a.m., 2 a.m., 3 in the morning it’s only going to lead to trouble,” said Rev. Harrison.

Harrison’s call for the curfew came in a tweet.

“I’m asking for parents to do their part and if parents aren’t going to do their part, we know all of them aren’t, then maybe the council is going to have to step in,” said Rev. Harrison.

“If nothing else we should be talking about it as we are right now. I’d love to see us do something about it,” said City Councillor Jeff Miller.

Back in 2014, Miller proposed stricter curfews. Despite support from then-mayor Greg Ballard and then-police chief Rick Hite, the proposal failed.

But he says it may be time to revisit it.

“When you’re out till 1 a.m., on a Friday and a Saturday, you’re 15 years old and you’re unaccompanied, don’t have a good reason, bad things are probably going to happen,” said Miller.

The previous proposal called for an 11 o’clock curfew seven days a week, with exceptions.

Curfew is currently 1 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

“Kids want to go out and meet and see what they can get into, what they can find, what trouble..they don’t always intend to get in trouble, but it happens,” said Skip Jefferson, stating his support for a curfew.

No proposal has been written yet.

Mayor Hogsett’s office released the following statement on the topic:

Frankly, Mayor Hogsett looks forward to having conversations about these types of initiatives with the City-County Council, public safety officials and community leaders.

IMPD released the following statement about the idea:

IMPD would readily work with the City-County council and legislative leaders to give law enforcement tools to combat violence occurring against our city’s young people. Still, we know that efforts to keep teens safe begins with conversations in living rooms and not council chambers. We are committed to continuing to work with local service providers, educators and the faith based community to engage Indianapolis’ young people in productive ways.

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