On the evening of March 31, 2020, 8-year-old Rodgerick Payne Jr. was killed by a stray bullet that entered his family’s home on North Tacoma Avenue in Indianapolis. Rodgerick had been in the living room after dinner when gunfire erupted outside; he was taken to a nearby hospital but did not survive. Family members described him as a bright third grader who loved reading, coloring, riding his bike, had won his school’s talent show, and sang in his church choir.

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department opened a homicide investigation and said detectives believe Rodgerick was not the intended target. Investigators have publicly urged the person who was the intended target to speak with them, viewing that person as key to identifying who fired the shots. No arrests or suspects have been publicly identified. Community members have held motorcycle rides and fundraisers to honor Rodgerick and support his family.

Did anyone in the community see or hear anything that night, or know who might have been the intended target and can help investigators?