Shooting outside downtown Indianapolis mall wounds seven youths

Police patrol the area in downtown Indianapolis after a shooting near a shopping mall. Photo / Max Lewis/Fox59 via AP

Seven young people between the ages of 12 and 17 were wounded in a shooting outside a shopping mall in downtown Indianapolis late Saturday night, police said.

Police officers patrolling the area heard shots fired near the Circle Centre Mall shortly after 11.30pm (4.30 pm Sunday NZT), Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department Deputy Chief Tanya Terry said.

The officers found “a large group of juveniles” at the scene, including six who had gunshot wounds and were transported to area hospitals, Terry said during a news briefing at the scene early Sunday morning.

One of the victims was upgraded from critical to stable condition. The other victims all were listed in stable condition, said Terry, who was not able to immediately provide the genders of the victims.

A seventh juvenile with a gunshot wound arrived separately at a hospital and was in stable condition, she said.

“Once again, we have a situation in which young people are resolving conflict with firearms, and it has to stop,” Terry said, later adding, “Conflict should not lead to somebody pulling out a gun and trying to resolve it. The consequences are eternal.”

Investigators believe there was more than one gun used in the shooting, Terry said.

She said no arrests were made and police did not have any suspects.