INDIANAPOLIS — A portion of a north side road was blocked off in both directions Sunday evening after IMPD said shots were fired near police who were making a traffic stop in the area.
IMPD officers pulled over a car at around 5:20 p.m. near the intersection of East 38th Street and Central Avenue, just east of North Washington Boulevard.
During the traffic stop, IMPD said shots were fired by someone passing by the north side of the intersection.
At this point in the investigation, police aren't sure if the passerby was shooting toward police or someone else.
IMPD said no one was injured in the shooting and there's no threat to the community.
The public was being asked to avoid the area. By 7:30 p.m., the road had reopened.
This shooting is the latest act of violence in the city. There was a fatal shooting and a fatal hit-and-run less than 24 hours before. Also, last weekend Indianapolis broke its previous record for most criminal homicides in the city in a year.
But police said they are encouraged by the help they're now seeing from the public.
"The community has been extremely receptive to us asking them to provide tips and we've seen folks do that, and it's led to a number of arrests and it brings closure to those families who may be grieving or going through this if their loved one has been a victim of some sort of violent crime," IMPD spokesman Officer William Young said.
IMPD is also working to upgrade its crime-fighting technology to assist police response and evidence gathering as part of the city's effort to curb violent crime.
These upgrades include installing more public safety cameras in high crime areas. The new cameras will complement the cameras already installed downtown and at intersections throughout the city.