Families sue Indianapolis after two police officers die in shooting – Indianapolis News | Indiana weather | Indiana Traffic

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The city of Indianapolis is facing lawsuits from two families over separate incidents that left two men dead during a traffic stop.

On October 23, 2023, Darcel Edwards was shot and killed after climbing a tree. Edwards fled from police after he was stopped near 25th Street and Columbia Avenue.

His mother, Roselyn Edwards Rogers, said Thursday that she misses her son every day. “He had a beautiful smile. He was a wonderful father and son.”

The Indianapolis Police Department says Edwards put his hand in his pocket when officers asked him to come down from the tree.

Defense attorney Nathaniel Lee said Thursday that Edwards had mental health problems when he encountered police in 2023. “One of the telltale signs was that he said, ‘Call my mom!’ You don’t shoot someone who wants his mom to come to the scene.”

IMPD says Officer Gunnar Gossett fired because Edwards put his hands where the officer couldn’t see them.

Lee is disappointed with the way investigators handled the case. “Shortly after they killed the gentleman, they went out and cut down the tree and chopped it up.”

On November 17, 2023, Leandre Houston was shot and killed by IMPD Officer Mitchell Farnsley. Houston was a passenger in a vehicle driven by DeMarcus Whitley.

Whitley was wanted on several firearms charges. Whitley surrendered, but Houston ran from officers and was shot after jumping a fence.

Lee says the officer did not have to shoot Houston. “At this time he was behind the fence, and his body camera was covered by the fence, which suggests that he was not at risk of being shot.”

IMPD Police Chief Chris Bailey has said several times that suspects make officers’ jobs harder when they run from them.

However, Lee said, a general mistrust of police, especially among African Americans, left these people fearing for their lives. “We should have a standard that you can only shoot a suspect when your life or the life of someone else is in danger. This must be the legal standard that we adhere to, without this standard no one is safe.”

IMPD said it cannot comment on the case while it is before the courts.

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