Man is shot and killed at Indy apartment building just 7 weeks after being released from prison for a different shooting

INDIANAPOLIS — An early morning shooting leaves one man dead at an apartment building across from the Frank and Judy O’Bannon Park on Indy’s near northeast side.

Just after midnight early Friday morning at the Wesmont Apartments on Lewis street, 24-year-old Rayion Matthews was shot and killed.

Police were first called to the apartment complex for a domestic disturbance. Officers arrived in time to witness shots being fired.

The man who fired the fatal shots was detained by police before being released pending further investigation.

“Unfortunately, people aren’t hearing the message not to resort to gun violence,” said IMPD Capt. Don Weilhammer.

Sadly, it appears the victim of the homicide never listened to that message.

Court record show Matthews was on probation after being convicted of shooting and wounding a man in 2020.

After accepting a plea agreement for aggravated battery, Matthews was sent to prison in 2022 and was released in July of this year, just 7 weeks before he was killed.

Following his homicide Friday morning, IMPD again stressed that people need to learn to settle their conflicts without violence.

“If you’re having a problem, resorting to gun violence is not the way to solve it. It’s better to walk away if you can’t talk it out,” said Weilhammer.

A property manager at the Wesmont Apartments sent the following statement:

We are aware of the tragic incident and working with law enforcement sharing any camera footage. We have very little information currently. It is a shame gun violence is happening all over our city.

Anyone with information about this incident should call Detective Katie Gourley at the IMPD Homicide Office at (317) 327-3475 or e-mail the detective at Katie.Gourley@indy.gov .

Alternatively, they can call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at (317) 262-8477 or (TIPS) to remain anonymous.

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