In the late hours of a Sunday evening in Indianapolis, Indiana, the life of 15-year-old Andre Green, a Black male, came to a tragic end. On August 9, 2015, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police officers were investigating an armed carjacking where shots had reportedly been fired at a bystander. Officers on patrol spotted a vehicle matching the description of the one that was stolen.
A pursuit ensued, and the car, driven by Green, turned down a dead-end street.
Police cars boxed the vehicle in. According to the police account, after two other passengers fled the vehicle, Green, who remained in the driver's seat, struck a police car. Officers stated that he then accelerated the car toward them. Fearing for their lives, three officers—two white and one Black—opened fire on the vehicle.
Andre Green was struck by the gunfire and stumbled out of the car, collapsing on the ground where he was pronounced dead. Police reported finding a handgun near his body, which was later determined to have been stolen. The officers involved in the shooting were placed on administrative leave pending an investigation, as is standard procedure. The incident was not recorded on body or dash cameras, as the officers were not equipped with them at the time.
Green's family disputed the police's version of events, with some witnesses claiming he did not have a gun and was trying to flee, not attack the officers. His family described him as a good person who was going through a difficult time. They acknowledged he had been in juvenile court and had run away from home. In 2017, Andre Green's parents filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Indianapolis and the officers involved, alleging a violation of his civil rights and the use of excessive and unnecessary force. The lawsuit contended that Green did not pose a threat that would justify the use of deadly force.
However, in November 2019, a federal judge ruled in favor of the city and the police officers, granting them summary judgment. The judge determined that the officers' actions were reasonable given the circumstances, citing that Green was a suspect in a recent armed carjacking where shots were fired and that he was attempting to escape a police blockade. The court concluded that the officers reasonably believed Green posed a serious danger. This ruling effectively ended the family's lawsuit before it could go to trial. While Green's family's attorney stated they would consider an appeal, the legal proceedings concluded in favor of the police department's account of the fatal encounter.
