16 people arrested after shots fired at home in Fountain Square

Several people detained after shots fired on southeast side

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Police say 16 adults were arrested and multiple young people were held for questioning after gunshots were fired at what officers believe is a short-term rental home.

Dispatchers received several calls of multiple shots fired around 1:20 a.m. Thursday at a house on Spruce Street in Fountain Square, says Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Captain John Arvin.

Capt. Arvin says one caller told a dispatcher they heard 22 gunshots and saw people running from the scene. Investigators believe the house on Spruce Street is a short-term rental where a large gathering took place before the incident.

Arvin told News 8 that officers arriving at the residence saw people running and caught one of them.

Police then escorted between and 20 “juveniles or young adults” out of the house. Officers confiscated 9 guns from them along with a “machine gun switch” and a drum magazine with up to 50 rounds of ammunition.

IMPD said in a Thursday morning update that no injuries were reported.

The people caught inside or near the house were taken to an IndyGo bus brought to the scene to keep them warm. Arvin says one juvenile was picked up by their parents at the scene and everyone else on the bus was taken downtown for questioning.

Investigators got a search warrant to clear the house and found “12 firearms, 1 machine gun conversion device, 1 drum magazine, suspected marijuana, and multiple shell casings of various calibers.”

Sixteen adults were arrested: One for being a serious violent felon in possession of a handgun and machine gun, and fifteen others for visiting a common nuisance. Police didn’t say how many juveniles were arrested or detained.

IMPD Chief Chris Bailey said on social media, “Last night’s events reflect the critical role our officers and detectives play in protecting our community. When a large party at a short-term rental turned violent, our officers responded to a chaotic scene with professionalism and courage, even as more than two dozen individuals fled. Their quick actions led to the arrest of 16 adults, the detention of several juveniles, and the recovery of a dozen firearms. Because of their efforts, those guns are off our streets, and I truly believe lives have been saved as a result.”

Parents who know their kids have guns needs to step up, Arvin says.

“If your youngster or young adult is leaving the house and you know they have a gun, you’re wrong. You need to be a parent and step up, because when you don’t step up, the police have to get involved, the prosecutor’s office has to get involved and the judges have to get involved. We have to take care of the problems you’re helping create.”

This story has been updated to include arrest information.

Firearms found by IMPD inside the short-term rental where multiple people were detained or arrested following a shots fired incident on Jan. 2, 2024.
(Provided Photo/IMPD)
An IMPD officer talks to people held in an IndyGo bus for questioning after shots fired in Fountain Square.
(WISH Photo)