In the early hours of a Sunday morning in March 2007, a sweet sixteen party on the Northside of Indianapolis turned into a scene of violence and tragedy, culminating in the death of 16-year-old Armando Diaz. A Hispanic male, known affectionately as 'JoJo' to his friends and family, Diaz was a junior at Pike High School and a member of St. Monica Catholic Church.
The events that led to his untimely death on March 17, 2007, are believed to have stemmed from a dispute between rival Hispanic gangs.
Following the birthday celebration, Diaz was a passenger in a Ford Taurus with friends when a silver sport utility vehicle began to pursue them. Occupants of the SUV, thought to be a Honda CRV, opened fire on the Taurus with what police described as an assault rifle. While the car was struck by at least four bullets, it appears that none of the occupants were directly hit by the gunfire. The terrifying chase ended in a fatal car crash, which claimed the lives of both Armando Diaz and another teenager, 18-year-old Fausto Ramon Lopez. In a separate vehicle that was also fleeing the shooting, two other teenagers, Cesar Garcia and Myra Raymundo, both 18, were struck by bullets, with Garcia sustaining a gunshot wound to the head.
Investigators with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department suspected the violence was the result of gang rivalry, a growing concern in the city at the time. Despite the violent circumstances of Diaz's death, online sources and news reports available do not contain information regarding any specific suspects being identified or arrested in connection with the chase and subsequent crash. The community was left to mourn the loss of the young man, who was described as a kind and outgoing individual. His death, one of several tragic incidents at the time, highlighted the broader issue of gun and gang violence affecting the youth of Indianapolis. The investigation into the deaths of Armando Diaz and Fausto Ramon Lopez was challenged by a reluctance of witnesses to come forward with information.
