Indy Teenager Arrested for Murder of North Central Student
INDIANAPOLIS — A teenager is behind bars, charged as an adult with murder and robbery for shooting of a student in Indianapolis.
Police say 17-year-old Chaylon Suttles killed 16-year-old Jamell Williams outside an apartment complex on Renn Lane in May. Williams was a student at North Central High School.
IMPD declined to talk about Suttles’ arrest, saying the case remains under investigation. Police reports say additional suspects may have been involved in the shooting.
Court records show Suttles was previously charged with drug and weapons offenses in July. He was also listed as a victim in two separate non-fatal shootings last December.
Suttles is being held without bond at the Marion County Jail. However, his case records remain sealed while investigators look into other potential suspects.
The killing comes as the city works to address youth gun violence. While overall homicides in Indianapolis have dropped to their lowest level in more than a decade, there have been seven juvenile homicide victims so far. That puts 2026 on pace with recent years, though still below the peak numbers seen in 2023.
In response, IMPD launched a Youth Violence Reduction Initiative earlier this spring alongside public safety announcements urging parental involvement. Local mentors like Reverend Malachi Walker of Young Men Inc. say curbing the violence ultimately comes down to choices and strong support systems at home, emphasizing that parents must stay actively engaged in their children’s lives.
