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Indy Ten Point brings anti-violence message to east side

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An east side community is demanding change and working towards ridding the area of violence.

Sunday neighbors near 10th and Rural streets called in help from the Ten Point Coalition to make it happen.

Indy Ten Point has had successes in reducing violence on the northwest side, the Crown Hill neighborhood and most recently in Butler-Tarkington. They’re now looking to recreate that success on the east side,

“In hopes that it will bring peace in the streets and that the community would get involved,” said Wallace Nash, a team leader with the organization.

This is the first time the group has patrolled on the east side.

“We lead by example. So let’s put a better example in front of these kids, let’s show them something different,” said Nash.

The area is one of the most dangerous areas in this city.

The group is armed with little more than a yellow vest.

“I’m hoping that the Ten Point Coalition walking through will be one of the ways that solves the problem, where people will feel more comfortable,” said Charles Lovelady, a local business owner who asked them to come.

Lovelady owns Chuck’s Coney Island and a barbershop. He says a violent neighborhood is bad for business

“My regular customers, they pretty much live in the neighborhood, so they’re not scared to come out. But potential customers that might scare them away from coming here when they see things on the news,” said Lovelady.

Others are seeing the violence in real time.

“I’ve seen everything on this corner,” said Wolfgang Dawson, a manager at Pogue’s Run Grocer, a co-op grocery store located right at 10th and Rural streets.

“I’ll see shootings, drug dealing, people walking down the street with a cart full of puppies,” said Dawson.

But Dawson also says he sees the potential.

“There’s every level of good and bad around here. It’s the whole yin and yang. They’re both always going to be there, but let’s always hope there’s always more good,” said Dawson.

Indy Ten Point says over the next few weeks they’ll be working with the locals so they can do their own patrols.

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