Family challenges IMPD Narrative in Fatal Downtown Shooting
INDIANAPOLIS — On the evening of March 7, a routine stop for wings in downtown Indianapolis ended in gunfire, leaving one man dead, another in jail, and a third walking free.
While the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) quickly characterized the incident as a justified act of self-defense during a robbery, a deep dive into interviews with the family and the Indianapolis Liberation Center reveals a foundational story that contradicts the official police report at almost every turn.
The Foundation: What Happened on March 7?
According to family accounts, Jamar Thomas, a 45-year-old senior operator at Eli Lilly, and his 21-year-old nephew, Lamonte Thomas, drove to the intersection of East Washington and North Pennsylvania streets to pick up dinner.
The Scene at Wingstop: Family members state that Jamar’s 2024 Black Nissan Kick was parked directly in front of the Five Guys on Washington Street. In a detail they say proves there was no intent to commit a crime, they note the car was still running while Jamar went inside Wingstop to place his order.
The Encounter: Witness statements from the family suggest that as Jamar exited the restaurant to wait in his car, he encountered an unidentified white male in the alley. Witnesses of the encounter say the unidentified man was acting “belligerent” and “intoxicated,” claiming he was waving a handgun and shouting, “I’ll kill all you motherf*ers.”
The Struggle: An altercation ensued in a nearby alleyway. IMPD detectives told the family that surveillance footage shows the Thomases “tackling” the man from behind. However, the family insists that the two Black men were unarmed and were attempting to disarm a person they perceived as an active threat.
The Shooting: During the struggle, the man fired his weapon, striking Jamar Thomas in the colon. Lamonte Thomas reportedly held the shooter down until police arrived to prevent him from fleeing the scene.The family says they have no information on the identity of this person.
The Hospital Timeline and the “Visitation Ban”
Following the shooting, Jamar was rushed to Eskenazi Hospital. For several days, his fiancé remained by his side. She describes him as “highly coherent,” noting he was able to squeeze her hand, eat, and even “applaud” the doctors for saving his life.
The case took a sharp turn when IMPD issued a warrant for Jamar’s arrest while he was still in his hospital bed.”Circumstances changed. Suddenly he could no longer have visitors,” the fiancé recalled. “They wouldn’t give me any information on him, even though I’m his emergency contact. No one notified us when he passed away. We only found out because Lamonte called us from jail.”
Jamar Thomas died on March 24. The family is now questioning the medical care he received after they were barred from the room, noting he had been “doing fine” just hours before his death.
The Legal Disparity: One Free, One Jailed
The aftermath of March 7 has highlighted what advocates call a “glaring racial disparity” in Indianapolis’s justice system.
The Shooter: The white male who pulled the trigger was immediately released. He faces no charges, as police have categorized his actions as self-defense.The family IMPD is misrepresenting the facts by calling this a robbery; the picture they’ve painted for the public is simply untrue.
The Nephew: Lamonte Thomas remains in the Marion County Jail on a $12,000 bond. He is currently charged with robbery resulting in bodily injury, battery, and criminal confinement. With Jamar Thomas’s death linked directly to the March 7th incident, his nephew Lamonte may now face felony murder charges.
Advocacy and the Search for “Missing” Video
The Indianapolis Liberation Center has joined the family in demanding the release of the full, unedited city surveillance footage. Organizers point out that IMPD often releases footage of downtown crimes quickly, but in this case, they have “kept a tight lid” on the evidence, claiming it has been turned over to the Prosecutor’s Office.
Furthermore, the Center’s research into the responding officers revealed that one officer on the scene has over 100 documented use-of-force incidents, the majority of which involved Black residents.
“If your history shows a pattern of violence toward Black people, how would you ever see the Black man in this situation as the victim?” asked a volunteer organizer.
What’s Next
The family held a press conference last Thursday at the Liberation Center, where Jamar’s daughter’s mother broke down. Instead of preparing for her daughter’s prom and graduation, she is now preparing for a funeral.
“We want the public to know the media is leaving out a huge part of this,” the family stated. “Jamar was a father, a professional, and a victim. We won’t stop until his name is avenged.”
Following a formal inquiry into the case, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office provided a statement regarding the status of the investigation. A spokesperson for the office stated:
“This investigation is still in its early stages and remains ongoing. The case may continue to develop as additional information becomes available. At this time, no final determinations have been made regarding the culpability of any individuals involved. We will continue to keep you and the public informed as appropriate moving forward.”
