Shooting outside downtown Indianapolis mall wounds 7 youths, police say

INDIANAPOLIS — Seven young people between the ages of 12 and 17 were injured late Saturday night in a shooting outside a downtown Indianapolis mall, police said.

Police officers patrolling the area heard shots fired near the Circle Center Mall shortly after 11:30 p.m., Indianapolis Police Department Deputy Chief Tanya Terry said.

Officers found “a large group of juveniles” at the scene, including six who had gunshot wounds and were transported to area hospitals, Terry said during a news briefing at the scene early Sunday morning.

One of the victims was upgraded from critical to stable condition. The other victims were all listed in stable condition, said Terry, who could not immediately provide the victims’ genders.

A seventh youth with a gunshot wound arrived separately at a hospital and was in stable condition, she said.

“Once again we are dealing with a situation where young people are resolving conflict with firearms, and that has to stop,” Terry said, later adding: “Conflict should not lead to someone pulling out a gun and trying to to solve. The consequences are eternal.”

Investigators believe more than one gun was used in the shooting, Terry said.

No arrests have been made and police have not apprehended any suspects, she said.