In the early morning hours of May 20, 2021, 12-year-old Day’Shawn Bills was at his grandparents’ home in Indianapolis, playing a video game with family when a drive-by shooting occurred. A bullet penetrated the house on the 3400 block of North Leland Avenue, near East 34th Street and North Emerson Avenue, and struck Day’Shawn. Emergency crews found him shortly before 3:40 a.m.; he was taken to a local hospital and died of his injuries on May 21, 2021.

Police told investigators they did not believe Day’Shawn was the intended target and described the incident as a random act of violence. He was a seventh-grade student at Arlington Middle School. Family and community members have urged an end to gun violence and asked anyone with information to contact the homicide unit or Marion County Crime Stoppers.

No arrests or suspects have been publicly identified; the investigation remains open. If anyone knew Day’Shawn or has information that could help, please contact investigators.