Comrade Delphi

INDIANAPOLIS: At 6:15 pm on May 6th, police in the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) shot and killed 21 year old Dreasjon Reed. Witnesses and evidence from a Facebook live stream, made by Reed himself, indicate that he was shot in the back while running from police.

The live video was taken down following the shooting but a portion, including the moment of the shooting, remains. Reed can be seen driving his car where he then exits on 62nd and Michigan street and is pursued by police. After a few seconds Reed falls to the ground and at least 14 shots can be heard. According to those that saw the original stream, police can be heard making jokes over Reed’s body, saying “Looks like it’s gonna be a closed casket homie.”

The IMPD is claiming that Reed fired a shot at police, but the evidence from the video does not indicate this. Witnesses are claiming that police tazed Reed before they fired, meaning he was incapacitated and no shots were necessary. Some are saying that there is video evidence of police admitting to this. In portions of the video found elsewhere, police can be heard attempting to rationalize firing after the tazer was administered in a clear attempt to cover their tracks. The IMPD is protecting the identity of the cop who fired the shots.

Not long after the murder of Reed, crowds began to gather at 62nd a​​​​​​​nd Michigan to protest. As many as 25 police vehicles were present to threaten the around 100 protesters. The crowds dispersed later in the night, but have vowed to return and get “organized.”

The IMPD has not received the same attention as other colonial police departments in recent years, but they are by no means immune from carrying out the same fascist violence which characterize their better-known counterparts. The Indianapolis community, more specifically its colonized people, are familiar with the IMPD and its racist jackboots. The IMPD, despite not disclosing the officer’s identity, has found it appropriate to establish that he is in fact “black.” No doubt hoping that this piece of information will defang the community’s anger over this racist killing. As if the people do not understand the neo-colonial aspect of white power, with colonized people being recruited into collaboration with colonial policing.

FTP cadre in Indiana will continue to report on this situation as it unfolds and will take part in measures to organize with the colonized people of Indianapolis.