Two people were shot yesterday in the 10100 block of Ridgefield Drive on Indianapolis's far east side, and both were awake, breathing, and in stable condition by the time first responders arrived. Officers descended on the residential block just off North Mitthoefer Road, between East 30th and East 38th streets, after a call came in around 12:19 a.m.
According to Fox 59, IMPD officers arrived to find two individuals with injuries consistent with gunshot wounds, and both were transported to a local hospital. Investigators say the case remains open, and it is currently unclear whether police have identified or detained any suspects.
The evidence recovered at the scene points to a chaotic exchange of gunfire. Per WIBC 93.1 FM, investigators recovered both .40 caliber and 9mm shell casings along with at least one bullet fragment, and officers seized three distinct handguns from the scene — a revolver, a semi-automatic Smith and Wesson pistol, and an automatic Taurus pistol.
Marijuana Plants and Packaging Found Alongside the Weapons
Officers also located three marijuana plants and a jar and baggie containing marijuana at the scene, according to the same report. Under Indiana Code § 35-48-4-11, simple possession or cultivation of marijuana is a Class B misdemeanor carrying up to 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine, per FindLaw.
But the combination of packaged marijuana and multiple firearms found together could carry heavier legal weight. Legal analysis from The Marc Lopez Law Firm notes that Indiana prosecutors can elevate marijuana charges to felony dealing under Indiana Code § 35-48-4-10 when packaging materials or weapons are found alongside the drugs, since such evidence can support an inference of intent to distribute.
The Automatic Pistol Carries Its Own Felony Exposure
The automatic Taurus pistol recovered at the scene brings its own set of legal stakes. Indiana Code § 35-47-5-8 classifies possession of a machine gun, or a handgun fitted with an automatic conversion device, as a Level 5 felony punishable by one to six years in prison, according to a ruling detailed by Case Clips in February 2025. Indiana law explicitly folds automatic handguns and conversion switches into its machine gun prohibition, meaning whoever possessed the Taurus could face felony charges regardless of the outcome of the shooting investigation itself.
Another Flashpoint Along a Corridor With a Violent Summer
Ridgefield Drive sits within IMPD's East District, a roughly 52-square-mile patrol area serving about 145,489 residents out of headquarters at 201 N. Shadeland Ave, per city records. The district has faced a heavy run of violent incidents in recent weeks. Just three days earlier, Hoodline reported a fatal shooting near Mitthoefer Road at South Mitthoefer Road and Bucktail Boulevard, along the same primary corridor as Ridgefield Drive.
The pattern extends further back into the summer. An August 13 shooting in the 1200 block of Redbrook Court on the far east side stemmed from an argument involving marijuana and a handgun inside an apartment, resulting in multiple felony battery and weapons charges. And IMPD officers were still working this case when they responded to yet another far east side double shooting on the same night, in the 3000 block of North German Church Road, where two victims self-transported to local hospitals.
A Citywide Decline Doesn't Reach Every Block
The concentration of gunfire along the Mitthoefer Road corridor stands in contrast to broader citywide trends. Preliminary crime data released by IMPD and reported by Axios showed homicides in Indianapolis dropped 20% and non-fatal shootings fell 33% during the first half of 2026 compared to the same period the previous year. Yet the repeated violence on this stretch of the far east side suggests that even as overall numbers improve, specific residential blocks continue to see concentrated gun violence that citywide statistics don't fully capture.
No arrests have been announced in the Ridgefield Drive shooting, and investigators have not said whether the gunfire stemmed from a dispute inside the residence or a confrontation from outside. Ownership of the seized handguns and marijuana also remains unclear as the investigation continues.
