A promising young life was cut tragically short in Indianapolis, Indiana, when 13-year-old Alexzander Eugene Anthony was struck by a stray bullet on September 18, 2006. A student and active member of his church, Alexzander was walking home when he was caught in the crossfire of a rolling gun battle between two cars just blocks from his house. He passed away the following day, on September 19, 2006, after being kept on life support to allow for the donation of his organs.
The senseless
act of violence that claimed the young boy's life unfolded as he was walking near his grandmother's home on North Rural Street. Investigators determined that individuals in two vehicles were chasing each other and exchanging gunfire when a bullet struck Alexzander in the head. The tragic incident left his family and community devastated, with his grandmother expressing profound grief over the loss of the child she had raised.
In the wake of the shooting, police launched an intensive investigation. One man, 20-year-old Marcus Burnett, admitted to being involved in the gun battle, but ballistic tests showed that the bullet that killed Alexzander did not match his weapon. The investigation then led to another suspect, 21-year-old David Taylor, who was subsequently arrested and charged in connection with Alexzander's death. During his initial court appearance, Taylor denied his involvement in the crime. Detectives also identified two other men, William Burnett and Chancelor Walker, as persons of interest they wished to question regarding the shooting.
