Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndianapolis City-County Council member Ron Gibson said 13 gunshots were fired into his home Monday morning, less than a week after he spoke in favor of a proposed data center development within his near-northside district.
Gibson, who represents District 8, said in a statement that a note was left under his doormat that read “no data centers.”
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department was called to the 5000 block of East 41st Street just after 9 a.m. Monday — a location that matches public records with the councilor’s address — on the report of shots fired into a home. No one was hurt, and the police agency said detectives believe it to be an “isolated, targeted incident.”
Gibson said he woke up to the sound of gunshots at about 12:45 a.m. His 8-year-old son was also sleeping in the house.
“Just steps from where those bullets struck is our dining room table, where my son had been playing with his Legos the day before,” Gibson said in the statement “That reality is deeply unsettling. This was not just an attack on my home, but endangered my child and disrupted the safety of our entire neighborhood.
“I understand that public service can bring strong opinions and disagreement, but violence is never the answer, especially when it puts families at risk.”
Last Wednesday, Gibson spoke in favor of a data center project that the Metropolitan Development Commission ultimately approved.
“I am a public servant, but I am also a father and a neighbor,” he said. “This act brought violence into our neighborhood, the very thing I work every day to stand against. This will not deter me. I will continue to serve the residents of this district with integrity and respect for all voices.”
In a press release issued Monday, City-County Council President Maggie Lewis quickly condemned the “violent act” against Gibson.
“The reported discharge of gunfire, paired with a threatening message left behind, represents an alarming and unacceptable escalation,” the statement read. “We are deeply thankful that no lives were lost or physically harmed. Yet, this act of intimidation strikes at the heart of our values. No elected official—or any resident of Indianapolis—should ever fear for their safety because of their public service or policy positions.”
Lewis also urged anyone with information to cooperate with law enforcement. The IMPD North District Violent Crimes Task Force is investigating with assistance from the FBI, a public information officer for IMPD told IBJ.
“Differences in opinion are a natural and necessary part of civic life,” Lewis said. “But violence, threats, and intimidation are not forms of dialogue—they are attacks on our shared commitment to democracy, civil discourse, and community safety.”
The council’s Republican caucus also released a statement condemning the act against Gibson, a Democrat.
“Dangerous acts like this are never the answer for disagreements. We hope IMPD swiftly brings the perpetrator to justice,” the caucus wrote in an emailed statement. “We are keeping Councilor Gibson and his son in our prayers during this time.”
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.