Police said gunfire broke out at a short-term rental home on Indianapolis’ near north side.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — A woman was killed and three other people were injured early Sunday after gunfire broke out during a post-prom party at a short-term rental home on Indianapolis’ near north side, police said.
The shooting sent teenagers and other partygoers fleeing from a home in the 4000 block of North Park Avenue, near North College Avenue and 38th Street. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department detectives were still working Sunday to identify who fired the shots, what led to the gunfire and whether more than one person was involved.
Officers were called to the home around 12:45 a.m. May 3 on a report of a person shot. Police said they arrived to find at least one person with gunshot wounds. That person was taken for medical care and later died. Two other people who had been shot went to Methodist Hospital on their own, police said. A fourth person was hurt while trying to get out of the house during the chaos. Police said all of the injuries appeared tied to the same gathering.
Investigators said the party appeared to be a post-prom house party with a large number of people, including teenagers. Officials had not released the name of the woman who died by Sunday afternoon. They also had not released the ages of the victims, their schools or whether any of the proms that preceded the party were connected to one school or several schools. Police had not announced an arrest, and no suspect description had been made public.
The scene sits on a residential block where homes, rental properties and nearby businesses are close together. The shooting brought police, medics and investigators to the area before sunrise. Detectives were expected to review physical evidence, talk with people who attended the party and check whether nearby homes or businesses had cameras that recorded the street before or after the shooting. Police had not said whether a weapon was found at the home.
The Marion County Coroner’s Office is expected to identify the woman who died after relatives are notified. The office also will determine the official cause and manner of death. The case was being handled as a homicide investigation. Police said the two gunshot victims who arrived at Methodist Hospital were part of the same incident, but officials had not released their conditions in detail. The person hurt while escaping was counted among the injured but was not described as a gunshot victim.
The short-term rental setting added another layer to the investigation. Indianapolis began requiring short-term rental permits in 2025 after city leaders and neighborhood groups raised concerns about party houses, nuisance complaints and violence at some properties. During an earlier council debate, City-County Councilor Kristin Jones said the plan was “simply a registry and a permitting process” meant to help officials know who owns and operates rental homes when problems happen.
Neighborhood leaders had pushed for the permit system after complaints about crowded parties, blocked streets, noise and shootings tied to some rentals. Dakota Pawlicki, a Fountain Square neighborhood leader involved in a coalition focused on short-term rentals, told city officials in 2024 that residents wanted a clearer way to identify owners and reach them quickly. City officials said then that the local rules were limited by state law but could require permits and create a record of operators.
Authorities had not said Sunday whether the North Park Avenue property had a city permit, who rented it or whether the rental agreement allowed a party. Police also had not said how many people were inside the home when shots were fired. Those questions could affect the next steps for detectives, city inspectors and prosecutors if investigators find evidence that the home was rented under false information or used in violation of city rules.
The shooting came during a violent overnight stretch in Indianapolis. Police responded to several separate shooting scenes from late Saturday into early Sunday, including other calls involving serious injuries. The North Park Avenue case stood out because police said it followed prom events and involved a crowd that included teens. By Sunday, the street had become the focus of a homicide case, with investigators trying to piece together what happened inside and outside the rental home.
No court hearings had been scheduled because no arrest had been announced. Detectives were expected to continue interviews, evidence review and video checks as the coroner’s office worked to confirm the victim’s identity. Police said the investigation remained active, and officials could release more information after relatives are notified and detectives confirm the sequence of events.
Author note: Last updated May 3, 2026.