Indiana Senate majority responds to violent crime in Marion County
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A group of state lawmakers is speaking out against violent crime in Marion County.
In a statement from several members of the Indiana Senate majority, the group points to the number of times offenders are arrested and released only to commit more crimes.
The joint release comes just two days after city leaders called on state lawmakers to create legislation to help stop the surge in violent crime in Indianapolis.
“We have been standing up as law enforcement professionals saying their lives matter and we have opportunities to intervene and protect them, but the broken system of revolving door criminal justice is emboldening offenders who are then taking their lives,” said Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) President Rick Snyder on Wednesday.
His comments came one day after two IMPD officers were stabbed.
On Friday, several members of the Indiana Senate Majority echoed Snyder’s plea, saying: “Our current system is not working. Time and time again we see violent offenders arrested and released without adequate supervision and the cycle repeats.”
The lawmakers shared specific examples, saying: “Just this week, two IMPD officers were brutally attacked and stabbed in an alleged ambush attack by a man released on reduced bail. Another man is being granted a pre-trial release for a second time after he was arrested once for shaking his infant child to death and arrested again for cutting off his ankle monitor. These are just the most recent examples of a long and unfortunate pattern that continues to put our citizens and law enforcement officers at risk.”
Thursday, News 8 broke down several cases where people who were out on bond through The Bail Project ended up committing violent crimes — that includes Deonta Williams, the man accused of stabbing the IMPD officers; Travis Lang, who is charged in an October shooting that killed a man and injured a woman; and Marcus Garvin, who cut off his ankle monitor and murdered his girlfriend.
The lawmakers ended their statement saying solutions are in the works.
“Over the past few months, we have been collecting data and meeting with members of the community in order to be able to bring meaningful legislation to the General Assembly. We are currently finalizing a number of bills that will hopefully spark positive change in our capital city and across the state,” the group said.
Read the full statement here:
Recently, we have seen a number of senseless and preventable acts of violence in Marion County at the hands of those released and awaiting trial for previous crimes. Just this week, two IMPD officers were brutally attacked and stabbed in an alleged ambush attack by a man released on reduced bail. Another man is being granted a pre-trial release for a second time after he was arrested once for shaking his infant child to death and arrested again for cutting off his ankle monitor. These are just the most recent examples of a long and unfortunate pattern that continues to put our citizens and law enforcement officers at risk. Our current system is not working. Time and time again, we see violent offenders arrested and released without adequate supervision, and the cycle repeats. Something needs to change. Over the past few months, we have been collecting data and meeting with members of the community in order to be able to bring meaningful legislation to the General Assembly. We are currently finalizing a number of bills that will hopefully spark positive change in our capital city and across the state. We look forward to sharing those with the community in the coming weeks. By collaborating with local leaders, law enforcement and citizens alike, we aim to get to the root of this issue.
State Sens. Michael Crider (R-Greenfield), Aaron Freeman (R-Indianapolis), Jack E. Sandlin (R-Indianapolis), Kyle Walker (R-Lawrence) and R. Michael Young (R-Indianapolis)
