At the Laurelwood Apartments on Indianapolis' south side, tenants say a recent surveillance clip looked less like a quiet weeknight and more like a low-budget heist scene. Video from a resident’s security camera shows a car backing straight into the door of a vacant unit, smashing it open, and several people climbing inside, neighbors told reporters. For residents already on edge after shootings and a fire at the complex, the footage felt like confirmation that things at Laurelwood are sliding in the wrong direction.
According to WTHR, the video was recorded on Thursday and shared with the station by longtime resident Johnny Daniels. Southeast District IMPD officers were called out after the break-in, but the station reports no formal police report was filed because the unit was empty. Daniels, who told the outlet he has lived at Laurelwood for more than a decade, said he is pinning his hopes on new ownership to finally tighten security and improve conditions.
A property with a troubled history
Laurelwood’s problems did not start with this break-in. The complex has been tied to a string of violent incidents that residents say have made everyday life feel unpredictable. The Indianapolis Housing Agency has publicly acknowledged shootings and a fire at properties it manages and has signed off on selling several developments, including Laurelwood, as reported by WFYI.
WRTV reported that 14-year-old Deandra Clay‑Staples was found shot at Laurelwood in January 2025. In a separate story, WRTV also covered the fatal January 2026 shooting of Andrece Dejuan Tigner on the city’s south side. Those tragedies still hang over the complex for many tenants, who say every new incident feels like another warning sign that basic safety is not under control.
What officials say
Residents say they have reached out to city and federal authorities, but they do not feel much has changed on the ground. According to WTHR, both the Indianapolis Housing Agency and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development did not respond to the station’s requests for comment about conditions at Laurelwood. The station also reports that IMPD officers who checked out the March 5 incident did not file a report because the broken-into unit was vacant.
IMPD has said publicly that it is committed to proactive patrols at agency-managed properties and has urged neighbors to keep reporting suspicious behavior and save any security video that might help investigators, according to WFYI. For tenants like Johnny Daniels, that March 5 video is more than just a clip on a hard drive. It is another reminder that, until the pending sale closes and new management shows up with visible security and consistent maintenance, many Laurelwood residents feel they have no choice but to stay on constant alert.
