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Indianapolis Star
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
Why 17-year-olds are exempt from new Indy youth curfew passed after mass shooting
Indianapolis officials have made the youth curfew two hours earlier for all children younger than 17 for at least the rest of this year. About a month after a July 5 mass shooting left two teenagers dead, the Indianapolis City-County Council voted Aug. 11 to make the youth curfew stricter effective immediately. An initial proposal that included 17-year-olds was amended at the last minute by Democratic councilors who felt that older teens should be granted more independence. The new rules mean that children ages 15 and 16 won't be allowed in public unsupervised past 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and past 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays. Children under 15 will face a 9 p.m. curfew every day. The city's emergency curfew will remain in place for 120 days, which means the council must decide in early December whether to extend or relax the policy. Teens who are 17 will still be subject to the state curfew of 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 11 p.m. on Sundays through Thursdays. The 25-person council's Democratic majority passed the amendment that excluded 17-year-olds from the new curfew despite the opposition of all six Republican councilors. "The sun doesn't even go down in the summer until near 10 p.m., and I don't think we're putting ourselves in a good position pushing 17-year-olds to break curfew at 10-10:30 p.m.," said Councilor Jared Evans, who introduced the amendment at Monday's council meeting. Republicans like Councilor Joshua Bain said that excluding 17-year-olds from the new policy weakens the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department's efforts to keep people safe. "It is not the goal of IMPD to go around arresting every 17-year-old that's out at night," Bain said. "This is a targeted way for them to get in between a 17-year-old that's about to make a really bad decision and possibly ruin the rest of their life." The ordinance doesn't create a criminal offense for children who break curfew, but it does grant police the authority to detain them. The policy carves out several exceptions for kids who are returning home from work, a school activity, a religious event or activities protected by the First Amendment such as political protests, among others. IMPD Chief Christopher Bailey said he was unbothered by the change exempting 17-year-olds from a stricter curfew. (He mentioned in jest that his daughter, who is nearly 17 and has been criticizing her father at home over the new curfew, would be "very pleased.") "My direction to the officers is not some sweep of everyone that's out," Bailey said. "It's really behavioral-based." Democratic Councilor Dan Boots spoke bluntly in support of more leniency for 17-year-olds. "Seventeen-year-olds are rising seniors in high school, a step away from being able to vote and be drafted and killed for our country," Boots said. "I think they have a right to stay out past 9 to go to a movie and come back." Republican Councilor Michael-Paul Hart, who also voted against the last-minute change, introduced a new proposal Monday night that would fine parents whose children violate curfew. State law allows the city to impose thousands of dollars in fines, according to city attorney Brandon Beeler, but it's unclear how harshly violators would be prosecuted. Hart's proposal would give parents one written warning for a first violation, followed by a $500 fine for a second time and a $1,500 fine for each subsequent occurrence. Councilors will consider the proposal in committee later this month before a likely vote in September. The harsher curfew change comes after hundreds of unsupervised teens lingered downtown in the hours following the Fourth of July fireworks show, culminating in a mass shooting after midnight that killed Xavion Jackson, 16, and Azareaon S. Cole, 15. Two other teens and three adults were also injured. Four teenagers ranging from 13 to 17 years old have been charged in connection with the shooting for illegally carrying guns.
Indianapolis Star
05-08-2025
- Indianapolis Star
Drivers could face fines if they don't follow these school zone and bus laws
As most central Indiana schools head back to classrooms the first week of August, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is reminding drivers to be more aware and to slow down around school zones. Captain of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department's traffic division, Fred Ilnicki, wants drivers on their morning and evening commutes to remember that they have a responsibility to help keep students safe. "That responsibility falls on all of us, not just the police department," Ilnick told reporters Aug. 5. "It's upon all of us to make these zones and make our city a safer place." Every school zone in Marion County is 25 mph, but the times in which they are enforced can vary from school to school. Ilnicki said officers will be out at various school zones to enforce the speed limit throughout the school year. "Everybody really should be driving like you see police officers in school zones all the time," Ilnicki said. It is illegal for Indiana drivers to pass a bus that is stopped, has its red lights flashing, and its stop-arm is extended. This applies to all drivers on all roads except for oncoming traffic on a divided highway where the road is separated by a barrier such as a concrete wall or a grassy median. Cars are only required to stop if they are traveling in the same direction as the school bus on divided highways. For roads like College Ave, where the IndyGo red line concrete barrier runs, cars do not have to stop if they are on the opposite side of traffic from the stopped bus. For drivers on a two-lane road, all vehicles traveling in both directions must stop when a stop-arm is extended. Drivers traveling in both directions on a multi-lane paved road that has no middle divider must stop when the stop-arm is extended. Drivers caught violating this law could face a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $5,000, as well as lose their driving license for 90 days. Ilnicki said depending on how large the school zone is can depend on how many officers are sent to monitor the area. Anyone can submit a traffic complaint to IMPD if they believe officers need to help enforce an area where speeding is occurring or other traffic violations are being noticed. Ilnicki asks that anyone submitting a complaint provide as much detail as possible about the issue, such as the times of day they notice reckless drivers, so that officers can be the most effective. To submit a traffic complaint, go to The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute recommends that parents teach their children basic traffic safety rules so they can be best prepared when heading to their bus stop. Here are some other tips they recommend for families:
Indianapolis Star
30-07-2025
- Indianapolis Star
Court docs: Ex-IMPD officer abused two children years before retiring from the force
Editor's note: This article contains descriptions of child abuse. If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, call the Indiana Department of Child Services' Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-800-5556. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All adults are mandated reporters in Indiana. A former Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer once commended for his work with crime victims now stands accused of sexually abusing two young girls, according to court documents. David B. McDaniel, 54, faces two counts of child molestation and a third count of attempting to molest a child under the age of 14. The investigation began earlier this month when two 17-year-old girls told their families and McDaniel's ex-wife that they both had been abused by McDaniel multiple times, beginning when they were about eight and nine years old. Both girls reported that they were first abused by McDaniel while on out-of-state trips with him in Florida and Tennessee. They told police they discussed the assaults with one another, but never told an adult. Each girl also described being awoken by sexual assaults during the night while staying at McDaniel's house. McDaniel was a member of IMPD between 1995 and March 2024, and had been on the force for more than 20 years when the alleged abuse began in 2016. In 2022, McDaniel was honored with a plaque from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Indiana for his "outstanding commitment to serving crime victims and pursuing excellence in victim services." The ceremony was held in connection with National Crime Victims' Rights Week, a part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. IMPD declined to comment except to confirm that McDaniel is a former officer. After retiring from IMPD last year, McDaniel worked as a police officer at Ascension St. Vincent. The health system did not respond to a request for comment. IndyStar has requested McDaniel's personnel file from IMPD. Ex-IMPD David McDaniel: Retired IMPD officer arrested for allegedly molesting a child McDaniel was on vacation with his brother in Florida when the ISP investigation began, detectives wrote. One of the victim's parents received a text message from McDaniel imploring them to help his family "because they are embarrassed about what happened and afraid to lose their dad." In another message, McDaniel said that "if I end this now, (then) hopefully it doesn't come out publicly" and would at least save the victims and his family humiliation. "(There's) nothing I can do or say that will change or fix this so I have to figure out what's the best way to minimize (the) impact," the message read in part. McDaniel's brother told police on July 12 that he believed McDaniel would take his own life, but that he was trying to talk him into turning himself in and doing the right thing. Court documents don't specify where McDaniel was over the next 10 days, but on July 22 he was arrested by Indiana State Police during a traffic stop in New Palestine. A document titled "The Last Will & Testament of David Brian McDaniel" could be clearly seen on the front passenger's seat, investigators noted. McDaniel is being held in the Hancock County Jail. His initial hearing was scheduled for July 30 at 1 p.m. On July 22, IMPD officer Nicholas Cauley was arrested after investigators say he used police resources to stalk and harass his ex-wife. Four IMPD officers were charged with sex crimes last year. One of the defendants, Paul Humphrey, pleaded guilty to six counts of sexual misconduct with a minor on July 14. He's accused of abusing a 15-year-old girl in January 2024. The three other cases remain pending. In September 2024, Kamal Bola, an officer of six years, was arrested in Hendricks County and charged with public voyeurism, three counts of child molesting, and one count of committing the crime of deadly force or being armed with a deadly weapon. In August 2024, Javed Richards, an officer of 12 years who worked in internal affairs, was charged with 13 counts of child exploitation and one count of possession of child pornography after detectives discovered Richards was allegedly uploading and downloading material sexually exploiting children on the internet. In April 2024, Lateral officer Myron Howard, who was with the department for one year, was charged with rape, criminal confinement, official misconduct, making an unlawful proposition, public indecency and public nudity. He's accused of sexually assaulting two women in two separate situations after they had called 911 for help.
Indianapolis Star
26-07-2025
- Indianapolis Star
Indianapolis man convicted of child molestation, rape
This article contains descriptions of child abuse. If you suspect a child is being abused or neglected, call the Indiana Department of Child Services' Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-800-5556. The hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All adults are mandated reporters in Indiana. An Indianapolis man was convicted of child molestation and rape during a July 23 jury trial in Marion County. Damaine King, 42, was arrested by Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers in February 2024 for sexually abusing a child relative. The child reported the incident to a friend and relatives immediately after it occurred. A relative then called the police, who arrested King, according to a probable cause affidavit. On July 23, King was found guilty of child molesting, a Level 1 and Level 4 felony, and rape, a Level 3 felony.
Indianapolis Star
24-07-2025
- Indianapolis Star
IMPD involved in shooting near Crown Hill Cemetery. West 32nd closed
This article will update. Indianapolis police were involved in a shooting at around 8:15 a.m. on July 24 near Crown Hill Cemetery. West 32nd Street will be closed between Clifton Street and Dr. MLK Jr. Street for the next several hours as members of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department investigate the area. Details are scarce this early in the investigation, but here's what we know: The shooting took place in the 900 block of West 32nd Street. No officers were injured in the shooting, according to IMPD. No details have been announced about the person shot. This article continues past images and tweets. Jade Jackson is a Public Safety Reporter for the Indianapolis Star. You can email her at and follow her on X, formerly Twitter, @IAMJADEJACKSON. Contact IndyStar reporter Noe Padilla at npadilla@ follow him on X @1NoerPadilla or on Bluesky @
