Man killed in Crown Hill shooting remembered for commitment, community service
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A Haughville man is being remembered with love by his parents and friends after being killed in a shooting over Labor Day weekend.
“Oh God, my baby. Lord Jesus,” is the somber cry let out by Judy Chappel, 53-year-old Michael Chappel, Jr.’s mother. It’s a kind of grief that can’t be put into words, but the weight of the loss can be felt in the air.
Michael Chappel, Jr., was shot and killed on 37th Street near Crown Hill Cemetery early Sunday morning.
Now, even through the throes of grief, his parents are holding on to the memory of his final gesture of love.
His parents say seeing the impact he made on the community is much larger than they ever imagined.
“He said ‘I have to leave at the end of the third quarter. I have to go put some clothes in the cleaners.’ And I said OK. (He) kiss his mama on the jaw, dapped me up like this, and said ‘I’ll see y’all later,’” his father Michael Sr. said.
“It hurts so bad. But I didn’t know how many lives he had touched. Oh, God, it’s like somebody ripped my heart out,” his mother said.
Despite the heartbreak, they joined others at the Jewel Event Center for a “Save Our Youth” panel discussion on gun violence. Known by many as Mike Treez, Michael Jr. had a far-stretching reach, one his parents couldn’t even imagine.
“I had no idea the huge impact that he had until I looked at his Facebook page. And I see all of these people from all over the United States, ‘Rest in peace, Treez,’” Michael Sr. said.
Michael Jr. was dedicated to supporting local artists, giving back to the community, and building the community. His most recent dedication was breathing life back into Haughville’s Belmont Beach.
“It’s been rough just trying to process that and get through these moments,” Teddrick Hardy said.
He’s one of countless others trying to navigate the world without Mike. He, like so many who have experienced loss, can’t help but ask why. But though he knows that even while asking why, it’s vital to stay the course.
“Mike would have done it for us. And just knowing the person he was, he was going to turn the negative thing into a positive,” Hardy said.
While battling through their grief, the Chappels leave a word of thanks.
“God bless everybody, because Indianapolis has shown out and shown up for us, and we appreciate it,” Judy said.
In lieu of flowers, the family asked that donations be made to the Indianapolis Urban League or Gleaners Food Bank, two groups that Michael Jr. was passionate about.
The family is working to organize an event this Saturday at Belmont Beach but is working to nail down a time.