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'I was gonna kill an officer' | Man charged in stabbing of 2 IMPD officers explains why in court docs

Deonta Williams felt the city owed him because he received a large medical bill he could not pay, according to court documents.

INDIANAPOLIS — The Marion County Prosecutor's office charged 20-year-old Deonta Williams with two counts of attempted murder Friday afternoon. 

Prosecutors said Williams stabbed two IMPD officers Wednesday morning.  

Williams allegedly told investigators, "I was gonna kill an officer" because he felt the city owed him after he received a large medical bill he could not pay.

Williams is accused of stabbing the officers early Wednesday when they responded to the 1400 block of Fairfield Avenue, just south of the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

In court documents, Williams told investigators that he called police about a person harassing him, but made up the incident. He told officers a white man with a gray hat, red shoes, black hoodie and a white jacket was bothering him and was down the street.

When the officers turned to locate where the other person might be, the man stabbed both officers, according to IMPD Assistant Chief of Police Christopher Bailey.

Williams was armed with multiple knives, which were recovered at the scene, IMPD said. One of those knives broke during the attack. One officer was stabbed in the chest, the other had his neck slashed, with the wound hitting his jugular. He underwent surgery and is expected to recover.

Credit: IMPD
Knives recovered from the scene of two IMPD officers being stabbed on Dec. 1, 2021.

Williams was shot multiple times by the officers after they said they ordered him to drop the knives and he refused.

Investigators interviewed Williams in the hospital and then again in jail. Williams allegedly told detectives that he didn't want to kill a lot of officers, just one. He said he was upset about the medical bill he received and the city owed him. 

Williams allegedly said that if he could kill one of the officers, he would take their gun, forcing the other officer to shoot him. He said that would give him justice, according to the court documents.

Williams is charged with two counts of attempted murder and being held on a $750,000 bond. He will make his initial court appearance on Tuesday, Dec. 7.

No other officers or citizens were injured in the incident.

Multiple officers had body-worn cameras, which were on during the incident. That video has not yet been released by police.

The officers who fired their weapons have been placed on administrative leave, per department protocol.

Williams will have his initial hearing in the stabbing on Dec. 7.

13News has looked into Williams' criminal background and found he was arrested in January 2021 and charged with felony burglary. He was given a $25,000 bond, but the court reduced it to $750. Williams got out of jail in March with the help of The Bail Project, a not-for profict bail organization. He was released and fitted with a GPS monitor.

In July, Williams was arrested for criminal mischief. He was released on his own recognizance. 

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Sergeant Michael Duke at 317-327-3475 or email him at Michael.Duke@indy.gov.

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