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Sights and sounds from Downtown Indianapolis protest of police shooting of Dreasjon Reed
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After a day of protests and unanswered questions, nearly 200 Indianapolis residents gathered Thursday night to remember and mourn Dreasjon Reed, who was fatally shot by Indianapolis police on Wednesday following a pursuit.

a group of people wearing costumes: Jazmine Reed, the sister of Dreasjon "Sean" Reed and their father Jamie Reed hug at a demonstration of at least two hundred people in downtown Indianapolis, demanding IMPD accountability following the killing of Dreasjon "Sean" Reed, who was shot during a police pursuit a day earlier, Wednesday, May 7, 2020. © Robert Scheer/IndyStar Jazmine Reed, the sister of Dreasjon "Sean" Reed and their father Jamie Reed hug at a demonstration of at least two hundred people in downtown Indianapolis, demanding IMPD accountability following the killing of Dreasjon "Sean" Reed, who was shot during a police pursuit a day earlier, Wednesday, May 7, 2020.

Reed, 21, was a graduate of the U.S. Air Force basic training in the spring of 2018.

As the vigil got underway around 6 p.m., it felt more like a rally, with protesters using cars to block the intersection of West 62nd Street and Michigan Road, where the shooting occurred Wednesday night.

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"Whose streets? Our streets!" they chanted, many wearing wearing face masks given the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Some hung out the windows and sunroofs of their cars and others shouted and chanted.

a group of people standing next to a car: People gather near 62nd Street and Michigan Road in Indianapolis in remembrance of Dreasjon Reed. The 21-year-old was fatally shot by Indianapolis police following a pursuit that was captured in part on a Facebook Live video. © Robert Scheer/IndyStar People gather near 62nd Street and Michigan Road in Indianapolis in remembrance of Dreasjon Reed. The 21-year-old was fatally shot by Indianapolis police following a pursuit that was captured in part on a Facebook Live video.

It was unclear if Reed's family planned to attend. But some said the event was not what they had envisioned.

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"This is a bunch of mess," said Jackie McCrory-Talley, who lives in the neighborhood near the shooting. "I am very appalled, I am very displeased. This hurts my heart.

"I am so sorry that this young man lost his life. But I think things can be done a whole lot differently here," McCrory-Talley said. "You're teaching these kids to rebel against the IMPD here. That is not right. The more they rebel, the more there is going to be killings."

McCrory-Talley broke down as she recalled Reed and how he died. 

"He did not deserve to die like that," she said, weeping. "No matter what he did. They could have shot him in his leg. They did not have to do that. There was 10-12 rounds (of gunshots) after he was tased."

McCrory-Talley said she hoped she would have the opportunity to pray and remember Reed.

"This is not how you do," she sighed. "You come and you pray and you teach these kids to do better. Prayer changes things."

Shortly after she spoke, the chants stopped for the crowd to pray.

Devanta Scruggs, a pastor at the Good Samaritan Baptist Church in Indianapolis, said: "You can have peace in the time of storm."

Later, Scruggs, in an interview with IndyStar, said IMPD has to reckon with the frustration and anger of people of color.

"We have to be more sensitive and understanding to what the real issue is. And the issue is," Scruggs said. "for over 200 years, black men, black women, black boys, black girls have been done wrong. Brown men, brown women, brown boys, brown girls have been done wrong.

"It has a been a consistent issue of unfair treatment and punishment."

The Facebook Live video

Portions of Wednesday night's police chase and Reed's death were captured live on Facebook via a video Reed was streaming. 

The fatal shooting, which occurred just after 6:15 p.m., was the first of three fatal incidents involving the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department in less than 8 hours. 

A pregnant pedestrian was struck by an officer driving in for his shift shortly after 9 p.m., and police fatally shot a second suspect around 1 a.m. after responding to a burglary call.

IMPD Police Chief Randal Taylor pleaded for patience in the wake of the spate of violence. But his words did little to calm the anger many at the vigil said they feel.

"Last night was a difficult night for our entire community filled with tragedy," Taylor said Thursday morning. "I know to many in the community, they say talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words. So that is my commitment to the city. … We will act with transparency, we will act with fairness, we will act with compassion."

Taylor tried to speak briefly with protesters who gathered in northwest Indianapolis, near the intersection of west 62nd Street and Michigan Rd., the scene of Reed's shooting. But he was rebuffed and hit with a water bottle.

Who was Dreasjon Reed?

Reed was remembered Thursday as always smiling, a "class clown."

 He was "never down" and "always funny," said D'Andre Patterson, his former flight leader.

"He was loved by so many people,” his sister, Jazmine Reed, said.

Protestors and others  told the IndyStar that they are struggling to absorb the series of tragedies that unfolded over an eight-hour period beginning Wednesday night. That the deaths come during the coronavirus pandemic, which is killing black residents at a disproportionately higher rate, adds another level of pain to long-simmering tension and distrust.

"It is obvious African Americans are being treated differently," said Antonio Lipscomb, associate pastor at Greater Anointing Fellowship Church, "and it’s not something that’s going away until there are systematic changes."

Adding to the ire: Reed's live video captured comments made after the fatal shooting by an IMPD detective who responded to the scene: "I think it's going to be a closed casket, homie."

The quote spread quickly online Wednesday night, fanning a flame of distrust. Several residents cited the quote as proof, in their eyes, that young black men are viewed differently by those who work in law enforcement.

Taylor said he was heartbroken to hear the detective's comments, which he said would lead to disciplinary action.

"Let me be clear: These comments are unacceptable and unbecoming of our police department," Taylor said.  

He did not specify what action he would pursue, nor did he identify the detective who made the comments.

Meanwhile the ACLU and others called for an independent investigation into Reed's death and transparency into the police department's actions.

“Whether someone is unarmed or armed, compliant or resistant, police officers should be properly trained in de-escalation tactics and turn to the use of force only as a last resort, not a first option," the ACLU's statement said.

“We see time and time again that excessive force by police disproportionately impacts black and brown community members."

Derrick Slack, 43, who attended the rally, said protests and vigils are vital because they bring “energy” that could produce positive change.

“It’s the energy of people coming together,” he said. “I want this to be the beginning of something beautiful rather than the end of something tragic."

“Everybody has been couped up for two months, and they are really tired of this happening to people who look like us.”

Staff writer Ryan Martin contributed to this report.

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Contact IndyStar reporter Elizabeth DePompei at 317-444-6196 or edepompei@indystar.com. Follow her on Twitter: @edepompei.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: 'He was loved': Indianapolis residents mourn Dreasjon Reed at prayer vigil and protest

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