Neighbors react to drive-by shooting that injured sleeping boy

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – A teenage boy is still in the hospital Saturday evening after he was injured in a drive-by shooting while he was sleeping overnight.

WISH-TV spoke with people who live in the neighborhood off East 36th Place; most of them didn’t want to talk on camera.    

They say this is another violent night that could have been avoided. 

A sign that reads ‘Peace in the Streets’ sits outside James Graham’s front porch.

But peace wasn’t the case early Saturday morning in the neighborhood Graham has called home for nearly 12 years.

“Me and my wife were in there (the house),” recalled Graham. “We were asleep at that time in the morning. I heard three shots like ‘pow, pow, pow.’” 

Indianapolis Metro Police say the shots were part of a drive-by shooting at home in the 8000 block of East 36th Place around 3 o’clock Saturday morning.

Police say a bullet hit a 15-year-old boy inside the home while he was sleeping in bed. 

Officers say someone pulled up, fired multiple shots, and then drove off.

“These little things just pop up here and there in this neighborhood because we’ve just got a lot of young men running around and they really don’t have anything to grab on,” explained Graham.

While police continue to search for whoever is behind this, Graham shared what he feels is a larger issue that could be behind the violence.

“If I had support when I was coming up, I probably wouldn’t have done some of the things I did,” said Graham. “They (youth) need that support when they’re trying to be a man or trying to establish themselves as ‘responsible.’ You pray that nothing like this happens. But, times are getting really violent. Everybody is running to guns. Nobody has any love for their fellow man like that anymore.” 

Police say the boy was taken to the hospital. 

IMPD says the boy is expected to survive and did not suffer any life-threatening injuries. 

If you know anything, call Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS.