In the winter of 2011, a violent encounter on the near north side of Indianapolis claimed the life of 37-year-old Rico Lovelle Hawkins. The African-American man was found shot to death on the porch of a duplex near the intersection of West 37th Street and North Capitol Avenue on the evening of December 11th. When police arrived at the scene shortly after 7:00 p.m., they discovered another victim, 23-year-old Prince Bibbs, who had also been fatally shot and was lying on the sidewalk nearby.
Investigators believe the violence may have originated inside the duplex before spilling outside, though the specific details of what led to the shooting remain unclear. Inside the home, officers found two young children who were thankfully unharmed. The children were taken to a safe place by the authorities.
Despite the presence of two victims, the case has remained unsolved for years. Law enforcement has not publicly identified any suspects or established a motive for the killings. The deaths of Rico Hawkins and Prince Bibbs left a lasting mark on the community, a tragic story of lives cut short by gunfire with no one yet held accountable for their deaths. Anyone with information about the shootings has been encouraged to contact the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Homicide detectives or Crime Stoppers to help bring closure to the families of the victims.
