On the evening of Saturday, June 28, 2025, a family gathering was taking place at Thatcher Park in Indianapolis, Indiana. The event, held in the parking lot area near West Vermont Street, was disrupted when gunfire erupted around 7:30 p.m., turning the celebration into a crime scene. Neighbors in the vicinity initially mistook the sound of the shots for fireworks, a common occurrence during the summer months, before realizing the severity of the situation as police sirens filled the air.
Officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to the scene at 4649 West Vermont Street, where they discovered two individuals who had been struck by bullets. Despite the efforts of first responders, 36-year-old female Courtney Lashaw Haynes was pronounced dead at the scene by the Marion County Coroner's Office. A second victim, an unidentified adult male, was found injured and transported to a local hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.
Detectives from the IMPD Homicide Office launched an investigation into the shooting, canvassing the area for witnesses and evidence. In the days following the violence, authorities announced that they did not have any suspects in custody. Police urged the community to come forward with information, asking anyone with knowledge of the incident to contact homicide detectives or Crime Stoppers. As of the initial reports following the incident, no arrests had been made, and the motive behind the shooting remained under investigation.
