Indianapolis Police Open Review After Viral Downtown Arrest Video

A viral video showing a downtown Indianapolis arrest by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) has sparked an internal investigation into the use of force by officers. The incident occurred as IMPD's Event Response Group was managing large crowds near closing bars, responding to a physical confrontation between two men. According to IMPD, one man struck an officer's hand when the officer tried to intervene, leading the officer to fire three nonlethal projectiles at the man's chest before attempting to detain him. The man tried to flee and was taken to the ground, during which another officer struck him multiple times to gain compliance. Witnesses reported that police pepper-sprayed the area, affecting bystanders, and alleged the officers hit the man during the arrest. The arrested man faces preliminary charges including disorderly conduct, battery of a public safety official, resisting law enforcement, and possession of marijuana, while IMPD emphasizes that the circulating videos do not capture the full context and that a thorough investigation is ongoing.