In the fall of 2019, a tragedy unfolded in Indianapolis that cut short the life of 16-year-old Elijah Taylor, a Black male born on October 25, 2003. On the afternoon of November 17, 2019, Elijah was found shot in the 3500 block of Woodfront Court at the Wildwood Village Apartments. He was discovered on the grass with a PlayStation 4, its cords, and a controller nearby.
An autopsy later determined that he had sustained a single gunshot wound to his upper left back, which proved to be fatal.
The events leading to Elijah's death began with a plan to purchase a PlayStation 4 for $200 through the online marketplace app, OfferUp. Elijah, along with another teenager named Dejuan Taylor, arranged to meet the seller at the apartment complex. During this prearranged meeting, an attempted robbery of the seller was initiated when one of the teenagers reportedly produced a firearm. The seller fled the scene but reported hearing gunshots as he ran. He then retrieved his own gun and fired one or two shots back. It remained unclear from the investigation who fired the shot that killed Elijah Taylor.
In the wake of the shooting, the Indianapolis Metro Police Department launched an investigation that led to the arrest of 16-year-old Dejuan Taylor. Police officials clarified that the victim and the suspect were not related, despite sharing the same last name. Dejuan Taylor was charged as an adult with murder, robbery resulting in bodily injury, and dangerous possession of a firearm.
The case proceeded to a four-day trial in May 2022. After the presentation of evidence and deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty on all charges against Dejuan Taylor, who was subsequently released from custody. The Marion County Prosecutor's Office did not issue a public comment following the verdict.
