Loved ones remember man killed near Long’s Bakery
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Police have identified the man killed outside Long’s Bakery on the city’s west side over the weekend.
Jeffrey Burden, 32, was shot and killed Saturday evening. Police have not made an arrest, nor have they announced suspect information.
Burden’s death marks the 28th homicide of 2018 in Indianapolis, according to IMPD. Jasmine Moore was shot and killed near that location last July, and another person was injured in a shooting at the adjacent Sunset Strip bar just weeks ago. But to loved ones, Burden was more than just a statistic.
Monday was quiet on Tremont Street. But to the side of the road, on a sidewalk, the silence was broken — not with noise but a heartbreaking reminder. A memorial marks the spot where Burden was gunned down.
Africa Johnson dropped off balloons. “I can’t sleep. So, I got up and went and bought that stuff to come and sit out here,” she said.
Burden wasn’t just a friend; Johnson said he was more like family. She doesn’t understand why anyone would take his life.
“Very senseless. I’m just like, there was nothing that he could’ve did that bad for you to take his life,” she said.
According to Johnson, Burden worked around the clock as a forklift operator for Fastenal.
“It’s not like he was out in the streets living a life of crime or living street life. He was going to work. He was a hard worker,” she said.
But that didn’t stop the suspect from pulling out a gun and firing multiple shots. Police spent Saturday investigating but have not been able to apprehend a suspect. Johnson is hoping people will step forward and break the silence.
“A lot of people stick to that street code and no snitching. But, it’s like, ‘Do you stick to it when it’s your loved ones?’” she cried.
If you have any information that could help in this investigation, call Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS.
