On Monday, February 19, 2024, one person was killed while five others were injured in a Waffle House restaurant in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department reported that officers rushed to South Lynhurst Drive on the southwest side of the city around 12:30 a.m.
Upon arrival, officers discovered five victims with gunshot wounds. Violence erupted following a confrontation between two groups, starting inside and spilling outside the restaurant, according to police statements. The altercation intensified, leading to the shooting.
Crystal Kennebrew, 35, from Gary, Indiana, was shot during the dispute and later died from her injuries at a local hospital.
A total of six people were shot during the incident, including a man who later presented himself at Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital. He is reported to be in critical condition. The other victims, comprising three men and one woman, are currently in stable condition.
In the course of their investigation, detectives located one handgun at the Waffle House scene and another in a vehicle at Methodist Hospital. Efforts are underway to secure surveillance footage from the area as police appeal for witnesses to come forward.
Initial findings suggest the gunfire resulted from a dispute between two factions, though it remains unclear if any of the injured were among the shooters.
Crystal Kennebrew was known for her role as a bartender and part-owner at a local pub in Gary, Indiana. An Indianapolis news outlet has noted that her visit to the city coincided with a club party set against the backdrop of this past weekend’s NBA All-Star game events. “I can’t grasp exactly what occurred, but now we’ve lost Crystal,” her childhood friend Jaleesa Joseph remarked to the newspaper. “She was the one who pulled people together. Now, it’s her memory that’s bringing us together,” Joseph added.
Joseph reflected on the community’s affection for Kennebrew, “After this tragedy, numerous family members reached out saying she was the most memorable bartender in Gary because she never forgot what they drank.”
Over the recent days, Indianapolis swarmed with tourists as it served as the venue for the NBA’s All-Star weekend, which wrapped up on Sunday evening.
The investigation remains in its preliminary stages, with law enforcement not yet releasing the identities of the other victims or the progress in apprehending the suspects.