IMPD releases bodycam, drone footage of officers shooting armed suspect near the State Fairgrounds
By: According to previous reports, 42-year-old D’armon Graves Jr., an Indianapolis resident, was shot and killed by members of the Indiana State Police, as well as IMPD, after a high-risk traffic stop near the intersection of East 40th Street and North Keystone Avenue on the afternoon of Sept. 26, 2023. The law enforcement officers were a part of the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force.
Officials said at the time that Graves was wanted on a violent felony warrant. When the vehicle that Graves was in was pulled over, officials said Graves exited the vehicle with a firearm and three people, two IMPD officers and one Indiana State Trooper, shot and killed Graves.
According to the video released by IMPD, the task force officials were looking for Graves, who was reportedly wanted on an outstanding felony warrant for a parole violation. Graves was reportedly on parole after being convicted of a robbery with a bodily injury.
Graves, according to the video, was observed by officers in the passenger seat of a silver car around 4:38 p.m. on Sept. 26, 2023. Members of the task force, as well as an unmarked vehicle, conducted a high-risk traffic stop on the silver car.
The edited video shows a number of perspectives of the incident, including drone footage, as well as body camera from two of the officers involved in the shooting. The video shows the driver, a female, exit the car with her hands up before the shooting.
“I will shoot, get your f—— hands up now,” one of the officers who was on the driver’s side told the woman, according to the video. “Hands up, keep them up. Throw the keys out now.”
The video shows the driver leave the car with her hands raised, the officer stressing that she left the keys in the car.
In the video, an officer on the passenger side told Graves:
“Hands up. Out the window. Put your hands up. Put your hands up. Put your hands up,” he said.
The video shows that Graves exited the passenger side of the car with what officers said was a gun in his hand. Officers said that Graves raised the gun and pointed it in the direction of officers. Three officers, including one from the Indiana State Police and two from the IMPD, fired multiple shots.
After the shooting, officers moved toward Graves to detain him and render aid. Graves was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials said at the time that the driver of the vehicle safely exited the vehicle before officers moved in to apprehend Graves. No law enforcement was injured in the incident.