On the evening of Thursday, September 7, 2023, 17-year-old Mekhi Reeves was driving near East 49th Street and Shadeland Avenue in Lawrence, Indiana, when his vehicle was struck by gunfire while he was on Leon Drive. Reeves sustained a critical gunshot wound, lost control of the car, and the vehicle left the road and hit a fire hydrant. Emergency responders transported him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival; the Marion County Coroner’s Office later confirmed his identity and cause of death.

Lawrence Police opened a homicide investigation and said they did not believe the shooting was random, indicating Reeves likely knew his assailant. Investigators collected evidence at the crash site but did not name a suspect or report any arrests in the days after the killing. Anyone with information or surveillance footage from the area is asked to contact authorities.