In the early morning hours of July 24, 2021, a violent altercation outside a bar on the near east side of Indianapolis tragically cut short the life of 40-year-old David Woodard. The incident, which took place in the 2700 block of East Michigan Street, also left two other men with serious injuries. When officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department arrived at the scene around 1:30 a.m., they discovered three men with gunshot wounds.
Woodard was pronounced dead at the scene by medics.
The investigation into the shooting moved swiftly, and just two days later, on July 26, police arrested 38-year-old Marcus Washington in connection with Woodard's death. According to court documents and surveillance footage, the tragic chain of events began with a verbal argument in a parking lot that quickly escalated into a physical fight. Woodard was not initially involved in the physical altercation but attempted to intervene and de-escalate the situation.
For his attempts to be a peacemaker, Washington turned his aggression toward Woodard, shooting him multiple times. An autopsy later confirmed that Woodard died from these multiple gunshot wounds, which resulted in severe internal injuries, including a lacerated kidney and perforated liver and lung.
Initially charged with murder, Marcus Washington later accepted a plea deal. He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. As a result of his guilty plea, Washington was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in the fatal shooting of David Woodard.
