Survived the downtown Indy 4th of July madness

[IndyClay]

Hi,
Just wanted to say that I was downtown along the canal near the Statehouse to listen to the concerts at the history society and to watch the fireworks from the top of the gov't parking deck. Coming from the top deck of the garage we missed our opportunity to beat the traffic. Anyways, me and my 2 girls friends decided to wait it out along the canal for a bit to let the traffic die down...
It turned pretty scary down there kinda quick, lots of gang thugs walking the canal harrassing people, vandalizing stuff along the way , getting into fights, etc.
I was CCing and scanning all around me and my friends like I was a Secret Service agent. My one girl friend thought I was acting weird when I told her to stay to the extreme right, and I'm sure she saw me put my hand in the small of my back (on my pistol, but never drew it).
A couple of times towards the end of the night I thought of going OC because of all the thugs that were blocking the path to our cars, but i kept scanning and escorted both my lady friends back to their cars. Everybody made it home safe this holiday.
Hope y'all got home safe as well!

 

[Roadie]

First person to post that SOB carry is a bad idea, in....3...2...1...

 

[vitamink]

at least you weren't one of the ones that got shot or robbed. Good on you for paying attention. We were visited by several gangs on the canal. If you think that's bad, go downtown at 9pm on a saturday.

 

[Indy317]

I just got an e-mail about a group of about 75 fighting on the Canal and general area. So what all took place? Was this a violent flash mob, similar to those we read about in Philly and Chicago? Did people really get shot? Of course the local media isn't saying anything about this. There seems to be a hesitation to report anything negative about the mile square.

 

[STEEL CORE]

I was in the IUPUI PKNG Lot with my family a few years ago, never again, and I defiantly was CCing. This years Fishers Freedom Festival Fireworks show was L A M E compared to previous years but my neighborhood light artillery batteries been putting on a better show each night around 8:30-midnight............you are brought back to the sounds of the first Gulf war or Vietnam without the choppers as all I had to do was fight off mosquito's. I had to go to bed by 10 PM last night cause I get up for work at 3AM, so I wore earplugs...............still reminds me of my time with Uncle Sam, so normally I don't mind it at all.

 

[spec4]

Reading this convinces me that the downtown Indy area is not a good place to be. I wanted to visit with my wife, but we are seniors which makes us an obvious target. I'm don't live in the Indy area, but why the hell can't they clean it up? Is it like Chicago where the courts are revolving doors?

 

[Indy317]

Reading this convinces me that the downtown Indy area is not a good place to be. I wanted to visit with my wife, but we are seniors which makes us an obvious target. I'm don't live in the Indy area, but why the hell can't they clean it up? Is it like Chicago where the courts are revolving doors?

Yes, we have a court system that is bogged down. Jail over crowding is part of the problem as well. Anyways, the problem with downtown Indy is that there are too many unsupervised kids, most of them from lower income, single parent households who were taught moral values that are likely different from what you find in your average middle class household (single parent or married). The summer months are the worse, because the poorest of the poor may not have AC, and it is easier to hangout in the summer than dead of winter. The wife and I avoid downtown, but not just because of the kids. Parking costs may be high, traffic if there is an event going on, etc.. We hit up three places to eat downtown this year, new places to try. We went in Feb. or March, and even then there were a lot of kids in the mall, one of which was getting arrested by an undercover officer. So if you ever want to visit downtown Indy, just do so during the winter months.

 

[IndySSD]

Reading this convinces me that the downtown Indy area is not a good place to be. I wanted to visit with my wife, but we are seniors which makes us an obvious target. I'm don't live in the Indy area, but why the hell can't they clean it up? Is it like Chicago where the courts are revolving doors?

The courts aren't but the Jails are

Seriously, I know one IMPD officer who ran a guy who was 27, already out of prison after a quad murder rap.... because he was 17 when he did it... Just f'ing sad.... back into illegal crap less than 6 months after his parole.

 

[furbymac]

Yes, we have a court system that is bogged down. Jail over crowding is part of the problem as well. Anyways, the problem with downtown Indy is that there are too many unsupervised kids, most of them from lower income, single parent households who were taught moral values that are likely different from what you find in your average middle class household (single parent or married). The summer months are the worse, because the poorest of the poor may not have AC, and it is easier to hangout in the summer than dead of winter. The wife and I avoid downtown, but not just because of the kids. Parking costs may be high, traffic if there is an event going on, etc.. We hit up three places to eat downtown this year, new places to try. We went in Feb. or March, and even then there were a lot of kids in the mall, one of which was getting arrested by an undercover officer. So if you ever want to visit downtown Indy, just do so during the winter months.

you know, i was in ohio the last part of last week. they were talking on the news how ,in clevland, any one under 18 had to be accompanied by an adult after 6:00 due to some of the same issues. maybe it is time to try this here.

 

[youngda9]

The summer months are the worse, because the poorest of the poor may not have AC...

Oh crap...this is the next "right" they will be claiming. In addition to the "right" to a job, education, health care, home, etc...we are going to be asked to pay for AC. It'll keep crime down ya know

^^ and it wasn't changed to purple intentionally.

 

[IndySSD]

Originally Posted by Indy317
The summer months are the worse, because the poorest of the poor may not have AC...

Oh crap...this is the next "right" they will be claiming. In addition to the "right" to a job, education, health care, home, etc...we are going to be asked to pay for AC. It'll keep crime down ya know

^^ and it wasn't changed to purple intentionally.

Hmm, after working over 4 years in homes, many that were "government subsidized housing", I don't believe I EVER saw one that wasn't air conditioned from 2003-2007.

I averaged between 1700-2500 homes visited per year in this time frame and I can tell you that usually the only people without air conditioning are older people who worked hard their entire lives and now that they are on a fixed income, can't afford it. The other portion are usually people who make "too much money" to get any more help than the food assistance for their kids but not enough to be able to cover the initial outlay and increased electrical cost of air conditioning and they don't want to raise their kids in a ghetto so they make due where they are.

 

[Indy317]

you know, i was in ohio the last part of last week. they were talking on the news how ,in clevland, any one under 18 had to be accompanied by an adult after 6:00 due to some of the same issues. maybe it is time to try this here.

Curfews are being looked at all over the country due to out-of-control kids whose parent (because it is usually the mother only) can't raise them, or won't raise them.

 

[SandHill84]

I saw Indy Star posted a story online about 3 separate shootings last night downtown which is too bad. I've always been a big fan of downtown Indy. Got my BA & Masters at IUPUI, worked downtown for many years, and have went to many events, restaurants, down there. I do my early morning runs along canal, white river park and downtown street too. Heck, my wife & I (empty nesters) are thinking of selling our house in suburbia and buying condo downtown. Maybe I've been lucky and been in right place at right time; however I've never once felt unsafe or threatened down there.

I do have to 2nd the issues raised about unsupervised kids being a major problem. Although they are an issue no matter where they gather be it downtown, fairgrounds, etc.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Yes, we have a court system that is bogged down. Jail over crowding is part of the problem as well. Anyways, the problem with downtown Indy is that there are too many unsupervised kids, most of them from lower income, single parent households who were taught moral values that are likely different from what you find in your average middle class household (single parent or married). The summer months are the worse, because the poorest of the poor may not have AC, and it is easier to hangout in the summer than dead of winter. The wife and I avoid downtown, but not just because of the kids. Parking costs may be high, traffic if there is an event going on, etc.. We hit up three places to eat downtown this year, new places to try. We went in Feb. or March, and even then there were a lot of kids in the mall, one of which was getting arrested by an undercover officer. So if you ever want to visit downtown Indy, just do so during the winter months.

If I ever end up independently wealthy, I would build another jail. Private jails make tons of money.

 

[jedi]

I saw Indy Star posted a story online about 3 separate shootings last night downtown which is too bad.

c why it was a BIG mistake to pass those new firearm laws on 01 JUL 11?
blood in the streets already!!

stay safe my southern brothers and sisters.

 

[PistolBob]

We sat in the parking lot of our church. Didn't see a single thug. Saw all the fireworks though, and it was a beautiful night if I do say so myself. Why do people act surprised when they go into the jungle and see scary things? Stay outta the jungle, there is nothing in there worth seeing or saving.

 

[BMAGO]

DOWNTOWN

I work downtown and for awhile was working later into the evening on some special projects. Being followed into the parking garage by one of the ticket scalpers is what led to my purchasing my first HG, a Bersa UC Pro .45. Since then I have purchased a few more, all for my ability to CC in different situations. Downtown Indianapolis is deifnitely not a place to be, unfortunately I don't have a choice! So I CC whenever possible.

 

[thompal]

you know, i was in ohio the last part of last week. they were talking on the news how ,in clevland, any one under 18 had to be accompanied by an adult after 6:00 due to some of the same issues. maybe it is time to try this here.

That makes the assumption that the parents of these thugs are any better.

Where do you think these thug wannabes learned their social skills??

 

[thompal]

We sat in the parking lot of our church. Didn't see a single thug. Saw all the fireworks though, and it was a beautiful night if I do say so myself. Why do people act surprised when they go into the jungle and see scary things? Stay outta the jungle, there is nothing in there worth seeing or saving.

This is probably the most logical and smartest post I have seen in a while. People who go to downtown Indy then act SURPRISED that they see thugs, gangs, muggings, fights, and gangs, never cease to amuse me.

 

[RockofStrength]

And this is why I only go to Indy for Fogo de Chao

The country areas always seem to have good fireworks shows in someone's back yard....I swear these guys are breaking a hundred ordinances but it looks awesome