Councilor's Home Shot After Data Center Vote

An Indianapolis city councilor’s home was hit by gunfire early Monday , and investigators said the incident appeared to be a targeted attack tied to a local development dispute. Ron Gibson, a Democrat who joined the city council in 2024, said he was awakened by multiple shots at about 12:45 AM while his eight-year-old son was inside the residence. Authorities reported no injuries.

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said 13 rounds were fired at the home. Investigators also recovered a note left in a ziplock bag under a doormat, found amid shattered glass. The message read, “No data centers,” linking the attack to opposition over a proposed project Gibson has supported publicly.

Police described the shooting as an isolated, targeted event and said the FBI is assisting the investigation. Officials have not reported any suspects or arrests in the information released. The presence of a written message at the scene is being treated as part of the evidence in determining motive, according to the details provided.

The incident comes after Gibson backed rezoning connected to a planned data center development by Metrobloks in the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood. The proposal covers 14 acres and is valued at $500 million. The Indianapolis metropolitan development commission approved the project 6-2, according to the account of the vote.

Gibson has argued the project could deliver long-term gains for the area, including an initial $2.5 million for the neighborhood and the possibility of additional investments of $20 million or more. He also said the development could create jobs and generate tax revenue. Those statements have been cited as part of the public debate around the rezoning and the broader question of how large-scale digital infrastructure projects fit into neighborhood planning.

City leaders condemned the violence as the investigation continues. Indianapolis City Council President Maggie A. Lewis said the shooting represented an unacceptable escalation and characterized it as an attack on democratic discourse. Officials have not provided further details on security measures or whether additional threats have been identified.