Indianapolis teen charged in connection with downtown shooting that hurt 7

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A 17-year-old Indianapolis youth has been charged as an adult with criminal recklessness in connection with a shooting in downtown Indianapolis that wounded seven other youths age 16 and younger, a prosecutor said Tuesday.

The youth has been charged with two counts of criminal recklessness and one misdemeanor count of dangerous possession of a firearm for the March 30 shooting near Circle Centre Mall, Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears announced.

“The defendant’s criminal history, the alleged conduct, and Indiana statute require this individual to face felony charges as an adult,” Mears said in a news release.

Prosecutors also filed a motion for a higher bond than normal and a so-called “stay away” order barring the youth after his release from custody from entering a six-block radius around the scene of the shooting. The court set a $15,000 bond for the youth Tuesday.

The youth has not had his initial court hearing, and online court records did not show an attorney for him.

The shooting led Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Chief Chris Bailey to announce last week his department would increase its enforcement of Indiana’s curfew law for those under the age of 18.