IMPD: 3 adults fatally shot in hot spot for domestic violence

UPDATE: The Marion County Coroner’s Office says 22-year-old Summer Stamps and 47-year-old Vanel Stamps died by homicide. MCCO says 26-year-old Kris Martin died by suicide.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Three adults were shot and killed Friday afternoon in a hot spot for domestic violence on the city’s northwest side, according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the director of the city’s domestic violence programming.

IMPD officers were called just before 1:40 p.m. Friday to a report of a person shot in the 5300 block of Holly Springs Drive West. That’s in an apartment complex just south of West 56th Street and west of Interstate 465.

All three victims died at the scene, Pike Township Fire Department medic crews told IMPD officers at the scene.

Officer Samone Burris with IMPD says the shooting happened inside an apartment building. She says she does not believe a threat to the public exists.

IMPD says the shooting was a domestic violence situation.

Chelsy Laureano, a neighbor, said she called police. She saw a woman run from the apartment building. “So she came out running through the door of the apartment complex and so she started looking at me, and she was like, ‘call the police!’ She was just in so much distress. I couldn’t tell because it was her and the guy — I don’t know, like I said, if that’s her brother or boyfriend — like coming out of the apartment complex, and I don’t know if she’s being chased by him or that’s the person that she’s, like, running from, telling me to call the police from. So then I looked at her, I was like, ‘Are you sure?’ And so then she just started crying, she was, like, ‘Call the police!’”

A painting crew that was working in the apartment building told News 8 that 12 shots were fired.

IMPD has not publicly announced the genders or ages of the adults. Police also did not say whether anyone else was in the apartment building during the shooting.

The Marion County Coroner’s Office has not yet announced the names, ages or genders of the three people who died.

Danyette Smith is the director of domestic violence programming for the Indianapolis Office of Public Health and Safety. She also has a personal foundation called Silent No More Inc. Smith told News 8 the ZIP code where the shooting happened is a hot spot for domestic violence. She said it’s one of the top 10 areas in the city where IMPD makes several runs related to domestic violence.

“If you are a victim of domestic violence and you’re going through domestic violence, please know to have a safety plan when you are leaving. Especially if there is a gun in the home or in the possession of someone who could be an abuser, it ups your risk of homicide by 500%. So, we want to make sure that you have a plan to get out of that domestic violence and not just try to leave because that is very deadly,” Smith said.

IMPD asked anyone with information to contact Michael Condon with the homicide office at 317-327-3475 or michael.condon@indy.gov.

News 8’s Richard Essex and Demie Johnson contributed to this report.

Help is available for victims of domestic violence. Below is a list of suggested resources on the Domestic Violence Network website:

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233 or text START to 88788
• National Domestic Violence Hotline en español: 800-799-7233 o texto “START” al 88788
• Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence: 24-hour hotline available at 800-332-7385
• Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault and Human Trafficking
• La Plaza Indy
• The Julian Center
• Indiana Child Abuse Hotline: 800-800-5556
• National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-4673