A graduate from the Indiana University School of Business was shot and killed in a downtown Indianapolis parking lot while heading to a baseball game with his parents.
Brett Scrogham, just 23 years old, succumbed to gunshot wounds Thursday night at a hospital after the incident near the Indiana Convention Center.
According to witnesses, gunfire was heard and another man was seen fleeing the scene, yet police stated that no suspects are currently in custody as the investigation is ongoing.
Scrogham was on his way to see a game featuring the Indianapolis Indians, a minor league team affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates, when he was tragically killed.
Following his death, family and friends remembered the impact he had on their lives, reflecting on his aspirations. Dwayne Sawyer, a family friend, mentioned how their two families connected through the Christian Communicators of America Speech and Debate League and spoke highly of Scrogham’s potential.
“He was trying to change the world,” Sawyer recalled. “I think he really was that spark.”
Senator Jim Banks of Indiana honored Scrogham on the Senate floor, saying he was described by friends as a “God-fearing Christian who always tried to help others.” Banks expressed his regret at not having met Scrogham, emphasizing the bright future that was lost.
In his address, Banks criticized Mayor Hogsett’s anti-crime policies, suggesting they contributed to the increase in violent crime in the city.
Brett’s murder marked the second homicide in downtown Indianapolis in less than a week, following the killing of a father of five in a nearby bar district and another incident involving a teenager on the city’s Northwest Side.
Moreover, Banks expressed his disdain for Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears, accusing him of not taking action against violent offenders. “If we keep making excuses for why we can’t enforce our laws, we’ll never have safe communities, and innocent people like Brett will keep paying the price,” he warned.
