In the early hours of a summer morning in Indianapolis, the life of a promising young man was tragically cut short. Seventeen-year-old Robert Fletcher Jr., a Black male, was shot and killed on August 1, 2022, outside an apartment building near Knobwood Drive and 71st Street. When police responded to a call about a shooting around 2 a.m., they found the teenager with gunshot wounds.
Robert was pronounced dead at the scene.
Robert was a student at Pike High School and a passionate basketball player who played for an AAU team with dreams of playing in college. His mother described him as a peacekeeper who actively avoided conflict and looked out for others. Despite his efforts to steer clear of trouble, he became a victim of the gun violence that has plagued the city.
The pain of Robert's death was compounded by another recent tragedy that had struck his family. Just 17 months earlier, his sister, Ashanti Robinson, was also murdered in a shooting at an apartment complex on the northeast side of Indianapolis. Both of their cases remain unsolved, leaving their mother to grapple with the devastating loss of two of her children.
As of now, no arrests have been made in connection with Robert Fletcher Jr.'s murder, and no suspects have been publicly identified. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death and has urged anyone with information to come forward. The community and Robert's family are left to mourn the loss of a young life full of potential, hoping that justice will one day be served.
