In the early evening of July 11, on the far east side of Indianapolis, 16-year-old Rodney Ward Jr. was shot in the parking lot of a BP gas station located in the 2900 block of North Mitthoeffer Road. Officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department were dispatched to the scene just after 6 p.m. following a report of a person shot. Upon their arrival, they discovered the young male suffering from gunshot wounds.
Emergency medical services were called to the scene, and police
officers administered aid to Ward Jr. until paramedics arrived. He was then transported to a local hospital in critical condition. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, Rodney Ward Jr. succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead. The Marion County Coroner's Office later confirmed his identity.
For months, the case was investigated by detectives with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department's Violent Crimes Unit. Through their investigative efforts and with assistance from the community, a suspect was identified. In early November, an arrest warrant was issued for 19-year-old Michael Kevin Jones.
Detectives located Jones inside a vehicle with two other individuals, who were also arrested on firearms-related charges. Michael Kevin Jones was taken into custody and is facing charges of murder, robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, and theft. His initial court hearing was scheduled for the morning of November 6.
