In the early hours of November 21, 2020, the life of 16-year-old Karla Vasquez was tragically cut short in a downtown Indianapolis hotel room. A night that began as a birthday celebration with friends took a devastating turn, ending in a fatal shooting. Vasquez, a female, was asleep in a room on the 20th floor of the JW Marriott Hotel when the incident occurred.
What was intended to be a quiet evening of watching TV among friends changed when one of the girls invited her brother and his friends to the gathering.
Among the newcomers was a 17-year-old male who introduced a handgun to the party. Witnesses later reported that there was no argument or disturbance leading up to the gunshot. While Vasquez was sleeping, the 17-year-old male picked up the firearm, and it discharged. The single gunshot wound proved to be fatal, and Vasquez was pronounced dead at the scene when emergency medical personnel arrived shortly after 1 a.m. A friend who was in the bed next to her recalled hearing the sound of a gun being cocked before the room filled with smoke.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, the 17-year-old suspect fled the hotel. However, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers quickly began an investigation, reviewing camera footage and gathering witness statements. Their efforts led to the swift apprehension of the suspect, who was taken into custody later that same morning. He faced a preliminary charge of reckless homicide. During an interview with investigators, the teen claimed that he had picked up the gun and it accidentally went off.
The case proceeded through the juvenile court system due to the suspect's age, and his name was not publicly released. In June 2021, the court found the allegations against the 17-year-old to be true, which is the equivalent of a guilty verdict in the adult justice system. The charge was reckless homicide, which would be considered a Level 5 felony if committed by an adult. Following the court's finding, he was ordered to be committed to the Department of Correction until his 21st birthday. Friends and family remembered Karla Vasquez as a determined and caring individual who had plans to graduate high school early and pursue a career as a nail technician and beauty specialist.
