Two people were killed and five others were injured in a mass shooting that occurred in the early morning hours of September 21, 2025, in the parking lot of a shopping center on the northwest side of Indianapolis, Indiana. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to the scene just after 2 a.m. following reports of gunfire in the 6800 block of Shore Terrace.
Officers arriving at the scene discovered five victims with gunshot wounds in the parking lot. Two individuals were pronounced dead at the scene, while three others were transported to area hospitals by emergency medical services. Additional victims emerged later, with one person walking into a local hospital and another seeking help at a nearby fire station, both suffering from gunshot wounds believed to be connected to the same incident.
The Marion County Coroner’s Office identified the deceased victims as 38-year-old Rodney Allen Taylor and 29-year-old Dante Lynn Hogans. Of the five injured victims, three were reported in critical condition while two others were described as being in serious but stable condition.
Police investigations revealed that a disturbance had occurred before the shooting took place. According to witness accounts provided to authorities, one individual grabbed a handgun from another person’s waist and began firing. The person whose weapon was taken then retrieved a second firearm and shot back. Indianapolis Police Chief Chris Bailey indicated during a news conference that a third, unidentified person may have also discharged a weapon during the incident.
Initial police statements suggested that both deceased individuals were the shooters in the incident. However, additional video footage and evidence collected by detectives later revealed a different sequence of events. Authorities now believe that one of the deceased men was the primary shooter who ultimately shot five people, including the other person who died. Police determined that the primary shooter was shot and killed by one of the individuals he was firing at. The second deceased individual is not believed to have been a shooter and may have been an unintentional target.
Detectives believe a third shooter remains at large and continues to be sought by law enforcement. The investigation remains active as authorities review additional video footage and await statements from the injured victims to establish the exact sequence of events.
The shooting occurred near Vibez Ultra Lounge, a business that describes itself as a newly remodeled lounge bar. The establishment released a statement on its social media platform extending condolences to the families and friends of the victims and acknowledging the loss of community members.
Police Chief Bailey expressed the department’s commitment to the investigation, stating that officers and detectives have been working continuously to identify those responsible. “I want to be clear, guns are not the solution to anything,” Bailey noted, emphasizing that bringing firearms into conflicts carries tragic consequences.
The mass shooting was part of a violent 24-hour period in Indianapolis that saw a total of 15 people shot across multiple incidents. Earlier on September 20, a triple shooting occurred at Cross Creek Shopping Center in the 5600 block of Georgetown Road, approximately 4.5 miles from the mass shooting location. Three individuals were shot in that incident, with a 21-year-old man arrested in connection with the violence.
The weekend violence also included an officer-involved shooting at a McDonald’s restaurant on East 38th Street on September 20. Officers responded to reports of a 34-year-old man armed with a weapon who was threatening employees. During the confrontation, the suspect fired a shot in the direction of two officers, who returned fire but did not strike the individual. The suspect fled the restaurant and was apprehended nearby without injuries to any officers or community members.
Mayor Joe Hogsett released a statement acknowledging the violence and expressing support for the affected families. He thanked law enforcement officers for their response and emphasized the community’s strength in overcoming such incidents.
No arrests have been announced in connection with the mass shooting. Police are requesting assistance from the public and have established a reward program offering $1,000 for information leading to a felony arrest in the case.
