Police: 11-year-old accidentally shot, killed himself Sunday on east side of Indianapolis
An 11-year-old boy is dead after accidentally shooting himself Sunday on the east side of the city, according to police.
The shooting was reported before 4 p.m. in the 3700 block of East Market Street, near East New York Street and North Sherman Drive. Responding officers found the boy, who was pronounced dead. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police immediately after the shooting said investigators were still determining whether the shooting was a homicide or accidental. Monday morning, officials said they determined the boy accidentally shot and killed himself.
The Marion County Coroner’s Office identified him as 11-year-old Jordan Robertson.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police said the investigation into the shooting remains ongoing. Officials have not said where the gun came from or how the boy got ahold of it. Police also have not said if anyone could be facing charges in the case.
The shooting is the latest case of a person unintentionally firing a gun in Indianapolis and injuring themselves, or others. Police have recorded a skyrocketing number of accidental shootings this year, with one-quarter of non-fatal, unintentional shootings by mid-year involving juveniles.
The accidental gunfire has led to tragic consequences.
A 3-year-old boy was hospitalized in February after shooting himself in his hand.
In April, 6-year-old Billy Ray Mack II accidentally killed himself with his family’s gun. The next month, Hakiem Scott, 5, accidentally shot himself.
Within hours in June, two Indianapolis children were accidentally shot in separate cases. An 8-year-old accidentally shot himself on the northwest side. Shortly after, an 11-year-old was accidentally shot on the city's east side.
By early July, Indianapolis police recorded three accidental homicides and 77 accidental non-fatal shootings this year. That’s two more homicides and 52 more non-fatal shootings than at the same point in 2022.
Just outside Indianapolis, police in Cumberland in July investigated the shooting death of a 4-year-old girl, who was accidentally shot by her 4-year-old sibling who found the gun in a dresser.
More: Op/Ed: Take a few seconds to safely store guns. We don't want your child to visit us.
Police and the Marion County Sheriff's Office, spurred by the preventable gunfire, gave away about 100 free gun locks on July 2.
Indianapolis Public Library branches also offer gun locks during regular hours.
Contact reporter Sarah Nelson at 317-503-7514 or sarah.nelson@indystar.com
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Police: 11-year-old accidentally shot, killed himself on east side
