Indy man in custody for triple shooting now charged with another murder

Lina Portman5 days ago

1 3 minutes read

INDIANAPOLIS — A man was involved in two shootings in Indianapolis that left four people dead in the span of a week and a half.

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department announced Friday that Gerald Hatcher, 26, was behind the fatal shooting of Yasar Burnett, 25, last March on the city's south side. Hatcher is in custody in connection with a triple shooting in April at an apartment complex, with police saying their investigation links him to Burnett's murder.

An affidavit detailing the case against Hatcher reveals a tangle of criminal activity surrounding both killings, including stolen firearms and vehicles.

Numerous witnesses and people close to Hatcher led detectives to arrest the Indianapolis man, according to court documents.

April 25: Triple shooting at Timbersedge Drive apartment

A few minutes after 10 a.m., gunshots rang out at an apartment complex northwest of Indianapolis.

Officers found three people with gunshot wounds. One man, Ivionte Demar Campbell, 19, was found dead on a couch in the living room of the apartment. Police found another man with gunshot wounds lying on the patio in an open doorway. The third man, who was shot in the leg, came out of the bedroom when police ordered everyone in the apartment to leave.

In their affidavit, police said none of the injured men revealed details about what happened, saying they “didn't remember much.”

Witnesses later told police they saw a bleeding man running toward a vacant unit in the complex at the time of the shooting. The man first handed a gun to another person, who handed it to another person, who left with the firearm.

Investigators entered the residence and found a gun case and bloodstained carpet cutouts. However, the residence did not have exterior cameras that could have captured the person.

That same day, a detective received a cryptic message: a photo of Hatcher with the caption “shooter Gerald Hatcher.” The messenger provided no further details, saying only that they shared “what is being said on the street.”

May 6: Accident turns into shooting investigation at Stop 11

A week and a half and several miles away from the triple shooting on Timbersedge Drive, a one-vehicle accident was reported to police.

Officers found a white Chrysler 300 with significant damage to the front and rear of the car on Stop 11 Road. Numerous bullet holes punctured the driver's side window. Inside, Burnett was found suffering from gunshot wounds in the driver's seat.

Investigators found a 9mm Glock pistol with a switch and a laser light on the floor of the Chrysler. Police also determined that the Chrysler had been stolen on April 30.

Several people who lived nearby reported seeing the Chrysler speed east on Stop 11 Road and go over the railroad tracks. One witness said the vehicle stopped on the grass and began smoking. Two men then got out of the car and walked into the tree line, they told police.

Investigators were contacted by more people who said Hatcher and another man were inside the car at the time of the shooting. The Chrysler was stolen, police learned, and was followed by another car as a “buffer” so police could not read the license plate and know the car was not theirs.

Police said they tried to speak to several other witnesses in the investigation into the crash-turned-shooting, but they refused out of fear for their safety.

In early June, a DNA profile obtained from blood samples taken from the Timbersedge Drive apartment showed an extremely strong link to Hatcher, the affidavit said. When police arrested Hatcher, they found gunshot wounds on both of his legs.

Investigators also discovered an Instagram Live video taken by Hatcher on May 11. Police said the video showed Hatcher listening to music before he appeared to put his phone in his pocket and the screen went dark, but the audio could still be heard.

Detectives said in the affidavit that Hatcher spoke with another man about getting a lawyer and then discussed the shooting.

“The guy who was shot is still alive, but he's blind,” Hatcher was reportedly heard telling police. Hatcher later said he didn't know the other two people he shot.

The other man asked if “we're sticking to the same story about what happened in the car?”

Hatcher's response: “Yeah.”

The Marion County District Attorney's Office will determine final charges.

IndyStar reporter Sarah Nelson can be reached at [email protected]

April 25: Triple shooting at Timbersedge Drive apartment

May 6: Accident turns into shooting investigation at Stop 11

Lina Portman

Related Articles

“The bullets were flying”: Early morning shooting on Williamson Street leaves one dead | News

Did Kim Jong-un really seek to denuclearize?

Hear the heartbreaking 911 call after Julian Wood, 3, was 'stabbed to death by stranger' outside store

British Prime Minister Sunak's protection agent arrested for alleged betting on election timing