9 people stabbed in fight outside northwest side strip mall off 71st Street
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Nine people were stabbed in a northwest side strip mall fight early Monday morning, Indianapolis police say.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department says officers were dispatched to the 7100 block of Woodland Drive around 3:40 a.m. Monday on a report that multiple people had been stabbed during a disturbance.
That’s outside the Woodland Shoppes and Miami’s Garden restaurant and lounge off 71st Street just east of Interstate 465.
Police say when officers arrived, they found nine people with various stab or trauma injuries in the parking lot. Below are the conditions of the victims:
- Five went to the hospital. Three were in critical condition. Two were in stable condition.
- Four people were treated at the scene.
One of the people critically injured during the fight was said to be a person of interest. They were taken to a hospital with trauma injuries.
Estinfi Filsmagre, 27, has been arrested on preliminary charges of attempted murder and battery.
Sandra Burns lived in the area for eight years. “It’s very scary that it’s right near my neighborhood.”
She said she’s surprised by the violence, and she is being cautious now. “I just have to watch my surroundings when I come out.”
Shopper Bruce Baxter wasn’t phased. “It amazes me because I come this way to go to work every day. At 3, 4, 5 in the morning, I see so much going on. … Now it could be a stabbing, gunshots, anything, you know. You have to really prepare your kids or adults.”
Officers detained two people of interest, but have not made any arrests. Investigators say they believe a fight broke out between two groups of people, leading up to the mass stabbing. They didn’t say what the fight was over.
In a statement, Police Chief Chris Bailey said, “it’s concerning the conflict reached this level of violence. … There are so many other ways to resolve disputes—walking away, taking a moment to breathe, or leaving the establishment altogether. Instead, our community woke up to find nine people injured because someone chose to resolve their conflict with a weapon rather than words.”
Anyone who happened to be in the area around 3:30 a.m. to 4 a.m. or have information on the stabbing was asked to contact IMPD aggravated assault detectives at 317-327-3475.
