INDIANAPOLIS–Tommy Talley, 40, was shot and killed by police Oct. 2, inside a house on Holt Rd., on the southwest side of Indianapolis. Though the investigations into whether the shooting was justified are not over, Indianapolis Metro Police have shared graphic body cam video and audio from the day they say Talley held his girlfriend hostage.
Police responded to a 911 call that Talley had been fighting with his girlfriend, who was not named by police, over a missing cell phone.
The caller said that Talley said if police came he would shoot his girlfriend and any officers who came in. One officer who was familiar with Mr. Talley, told the others that police had been to the house several times on domestic disturbance calls, and that Talley was unstable and aggressive, and did have guns.
When Southwest District officers got there, Talley had his girlfriend in a room and wouldn’t come out. Officers with the SWAT team and negotiators tried for the better part pf an hour to try and get him to come out peacefully.
“Come on out or let her out,” a negotiator can be heard saying. “You’re not going to jail for the rest of your life, Tommy.”
Talley continued to tell officers he felt like he wouldn’t make it out alive, speaking in suicidal terms.
“You’re not gonna get hurt, [name deleted] is not gonna get hurt. [Name of girlfrind deleted] didn’t ask to be put in this,” said the officer.
“I didn’t either. I’m the one that be here, goddammit,” Talley can be heard saying. He didn’t speak very clearly and at one point one of the cops asks him to speak up.
A few minutes later, cops heard a shot. When they busted into the room they saw Talley with a semi-automatic pistol and an extended magazine. Four SWAT team members can be heard firing what sounded like nearly 30 shots. Talley died while the girlfriend, screaming in the chaos and while witnessing the shooting, was taken to a safe place.
Neither the hostage nor any officers were hurt.
Te incident is now being investigated by the department’s Critical Incident Response Team. Another investigation will be conducted by IMPD internal affairs. Finally the incident will be reviewed by the mostly-civilian Use of Force Board.
