Indianapolis City-County Councilor Ron Gibson said his home was the target of an overnight shooting incident, and a message about data centers was left behind.
In a statement, Gibson said an individual fired 13 rounds at the front door of his home and left a note on the doorstep that read “No Data Centers.” The shooting happened approximately 12:45 a.m. and 12:50 a.m. he said.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to a report of shots fired at a residence in the Near Eastside on East 41st Street just after 9 a.m. today. The FBI is assisting in the investigation, according to IMPD Sgt. Amanda Hibschman.
Officers discovered evidence of gunshots at the scene, and police said they believe the shooting was an “isolated, targeted incident.”
No injuries were reported.
Gibson said he thanked God that he and his son are safe.”
“My 8-year-old son and I were not physically harmed, but we were awakened by the sound of gunfire. Like any parent, I immediately ran to him and reassured him that he was safe,” Gibson said in a statement. “Just steps from where those bullets struck is our dining room table, where my son had been playing with his Legos the day before.
“That reality is deeply unsettling. This was not just an attack on my home, but endangered my child and disrupted the safety of our entire neighborhood.”
Gibson has been at the center of debate around a proposed data center for the Martindale-Brightwood. He represents the neighborhood on the council and has said the development would be a significant investment and generate long-term tax revenue that would support infrastructure and housing.
Community members say the project directly contradicts their vision for Martindale-Brightwood.
The shooting follows the April 1 vote of the Metropolitan Development Commission to approve the rezoning request for the proposed data center in Martindale-Brightwood. This recommendation now heads to the City-County Council for final approval. Gibson, as the councilor of the district where the center is located, can call for an additional public hearing before a final council vote.
The City-County Council meets at 6 p.m. today for its monthly meeting. The final vote for the data center rezoning request is not on the agenda.
“I understand that public service can bring strong opinions and disagreement, but violence is never the answer, especially when it puts families at risk,” Gibson said in the statement. “I am a public servant, but I am also a father and a neighbor. This act brought violence into our neighborhood, the very thing I work every day to stand against.
“This will not deter me. I will continue to serve the residents of this district with integrity and respect for all voices.”
In a statement, Mayor Joe Hogsett said he was thankful Gibson and his sons was safe. He also said all available resources wold be used to find those responsible.
"No matter our differences, violence is never the answer. No family in Indianapolis should have to experience this type of violence in a place where they should feel safe and secure: their home," Hogsett said on X.
The California-based startup Metrobloks wants to build on nearly 14 acres at 2505 N. Sherman Dr., the site of a former drive-in theater near the Massachusetts Avenue rail corridor. The land sat largely unused between the residential streets of Martindale-Brightwood and the railroad tracks that cut through the neighborhood's eastern edge.
Metrobloks plans to build two large buildings, a parking lot, backup generators and cooling systems.
Council President Maggie Lewis, in a statement, said the council “stand in unwavering solidarity with Councilor Gibson and his family…”
“Differences in opinion are a natural and necessary part of civic life,” she said. “But violence, threats, and intimidation are not forms of dialogue—they are attacks on our shared commitment to democracy, civil discourse, and community safety.”
Belinda Drake, an Indianapolis resident who has attended community meetings about the data center, condemned the shooting in a social media post.
"What happened is not a reflection of who we are," she wrote on Instagram. "We must stay grounded in respect, compassion, and nonviolence as we continue building a stronger district together."
Eric Weddle is WFYI's education editor. Contact Eric at eweddle@wfyi.org or follow him on X at @ericweddle.
