In the early morning hours of Sunday, October 4, 2020, in Indianapolis, Indiana, the life of 27-year-old James William Upshaw was tragically cut short. Known affectionately as 'Baby James,' he was a graduate of Sister Thea Bowman High School, class of 2011. Those who knew him described him as having a great personality and a wonderful sense of humor, someone who could change the entire atmosphere of any room he entered.
He was a father to seven children: Alana, James William Jr., Haley, Stephon, Semaj, Shamar, and Sebastian.
On that fateful night, a large gathering had formed near the Grand nightclub on the east side of the city, near the intersection of Ritter Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue. Just after 3 a.m., the scene was shattered by gunfire. When the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department arrived, they discovered a chaotic scene with at least 50 shell casings littering the ground. James William Upshaw, along with two other individuals, Juan Reveria, 32, and Shanya E. Jones, 33, were found with fatal gunshot wounds and were all pronounced dead at the scene.
Shortly after the shooting, four other individuals arrived at a nearby hospital with gunshot wounds, though it was not immediately clear if their injuries were connected to the incident that claimed the lives of Upshaw, Reveria, and Jones. The investigation into the triple homicide was extensive, with detectives canvassing the area for evidence and witnesses. Despite the large number of people present at the time of the shooting, police did not publicly release any information regarding potential suspects in the immediate aftermath.
In the years that have followed, there have been no public announcements from law enforcement regarding any arrests or the identification of any suspects in the murder of James William Upshaw and the other two victims. The case remains a painful and unresolved chapter for his mother, Flossie Bond, his surviving siblings, and his many other family members and friends who continue to mourn his loss. His funeral service was held on Thursday, October 15, 2020, at the Tree of Life Missionary Baptist Church, and he was laid to rest at Oak Hill Cemetery.
