INDIANAPOLIS – On January 30, 2018, officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) were called to Wheeler Mission reference unconscious individuals with delayed responses and catatonic. As a result of this incident, Downtown District officers began gathering information and creating a plan of action. Investigators learned that the substance had the street name “Flakka”, which is spice. This particular mixture may have had other illegal substances (e.g., PCP etc.,) included.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS), staged several ambulances near the facility to expedite victims to local hospitals. Commander Burton was briefed and immediately began coordinating units on Downtown District. As the scope of the incident expanded, Deputy Chief Knecht authorized additional department resources to assist Commander Burton. They organized and coordinated a response and began investigating. Sgt. Hipple (i.e., IMPD Homeless Unit Supervisor) and his team, who recently distributed warming kits to our homeless population, began fielding tips and other information he received from concerned individuals.
Mr. Conrad (i.e., Director of Programming for Wheeler Mission) allowed IMPD K9 Interdiction into the facility to conduct a search for narcotics. As the investigation continued, Metro Drug Task Force, Office of the Mayor, the Marion County Prosecutors Office, Officer of Public Health and Safety, Downtown Narcotics, Downtown Bike Unit, Methodist Hospital and Eskenazi Hospital, and the entire Downtown District, began collaborating with each other to identify the distributor of this substance.
As a result of these efforts, a person of interest was identified and subsequently arrested. In total, 21-25 Homeless citizens experienced medical issues consistent with the consumption of “Flakka”. Investigators would like to thank the public for information relating to this incident.
Anyone with additional information about this incident should call the IMPD Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317.262.8477 or (TIPS). Citizens can also download the mobile P3tips app for Apple or Android phones to submit a mobile tip, or go to www.CrimeTips.org to submit a web tip. You will remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1000 if the information leads to a felony arrest. Only tips submitted directly and anonymously to Crime Stoppers are eligible for these cash rewards.
I am a peer support specialist at the VA medical center and I am trying to contact Mr Conrad reference your programs for vets.