Father of slain 19-year-old takes to Indianapolis streets in search of justice

INDIANAPOLIS — DaJuan Thrasher went door-to-door to homes and businesses looking for information Tuesday. The Anderson man has been back and forth between home and Indianapolis trying to understand what happened the night before.

His 19-year-old son, JaDen Thrasher, was shot and killed less than 24 hours earlier.

“This is senseless for individuals out here to be able to have guns and kill. Senseless, you know. I'm hurt, I'm devastated, I'm disappointed behind the people here carrying guns committing these senseless acts daily," said Thrasher, "I always promote, put down the guns, stop the violence, you know. Love your neighbor."

The teen just celebrated his birthday last week. DaJuan Thrasher has 12 children and JaDen was his youngest.

The father said his son was visiting his girlfriend's family home Monday night when he was shot multiple times outside the residence by suspects who fled.

Indianapolis Metropolitan police responded to a report of shots fired just after 10 p.m. Monday near East 12th Street and Colorado Avenue. Officers found JaDen Thrasher with multiple gunshot wounds near a vehicle outside.

JaDen Thrasher's girlfriend was grazed but in stable condition after the shooting. A 1-year-old boy related to Thrasher's girlfriend also received minor scrapes.

"It feels like that baby is a miracle. It's a blessing that he was OK," DaJuan Thrasher said.

JaDen Thrasher was taken to Eskenazi Hospital where he later died.

"There's no excuse for this type of violence and we need help trying to get it figured out," Capt. Mark McCardia with IMPD said to Fox59 the night of the shooting.

That is why DaJuan Thrasher was out trying to find answers.

"I never thought I'd be the one saying this about my son JaDen. I know that there's people around here that see something. Their cameras see something and they're out here talking, sharing information and interacting," the father said.

So he walked around the block from the house where the shooting happened searching for cameras that could have caught a glimpse of the suspects. Thrasher canvassed North Grant Street, North Gladstone Avenue and North Colorado Avenue for six hours.

He knocked on multiple doors and spoke to over a dozen neighbors and business owners trying to piece together the minute-by-minute details that led to his son's death.

Many gave him eyewitness accounts about who they believed were suspects and camera footage from their homes and businesses angled at the streets.

Brenda Souders, who's lived in the Little Flower neighborhood since 2009, was eager to help and offered her contact information and camera footage from her doorbell camera. She wishes people would put the guns down.

"I don't understand why all this is happening. These are kids out here," Souders said. "It's wrong."

LaShun Thrasher, JaDen's mother, was the first parent there after the shooting.

"They killed my baby," said LaShun Thrasher. "He's not coming back no more. They riddled his body with bullets."

Indianapolis crime: Stories of rising Indy youth violence 'shock the conscience.' But not everyone has given up

She, too, is making trips between Anderson and Indianapolis to help gather leads.

She wants justice, but she also wants people to know who was taken from her.

"A beautiful personality. Always real happy and bubbly. He was goofy like me. Comical. He just enjoyed life. Everybody loved him. It was like he's always happy about everything and if you're his friend he's loyal. Always got your back," said LaShun Thrasher, who described her son as a peacemaker who forgave easily.

His older cousin Regina Harris said his senseless death is a reminder of how youth are operating these days with no regard for human life. She remembers her baby cousin's joy for life.

"He was handsome, intelligent, charming and a very charismatic young man. He's a mama's boy. He was the family's baby. We all loved and adored him. Just an amazing young man with a bright future ahead of him," Harris said.

DaJuan Thrasher gave all evidence and tips found to police, but said that as a father he is taking on the case to ensure nothing is missed.

"I miss my son. My wife, she's crying. She's devastated, she's hurt. His family is hurt. His friends are hurt. His brothers and sisters are hurt," Thrasher said. "If you see these guys, you know these guys, please come forward."

Anyone with information about JaDen Thrashers’ killing is asked to contact Detective Douglas Morning at 317-327-3475 or Douglas.Morning@indy.gov. Those with information can also contact Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477 to remain anonymous.

Contact Jade Jackson at Jade.Jackson@IndyStar.com. Follow her on Twitter @IAMJADEJACKSON.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana father looks for answers after son gunned down in Indianapolis