IMPD: Armed man told officers 'just shoot me' after firing shots, waving 'Free Haiti' flag on Monume

Tue, April 8, 2025 at 5:01 PM

IMPD: Armed man told officers 'just shoot me' after firing shots, waving 'Free Haiti' flag on Monume

INDIANAPOLIS - Police say an Indy man who was arrested downtown last Friday had crashed his car on Monument Circle, pointed a gun at bystanders and fired shots into the air while waving a large "Free Haiti" flag.

Stephen Luderson, 24, has been preliminarily charged with several felonies including battery, criminal recklessness and resisting arrest in relation to the incident. Court documents filed Tuesday in Marion County court provide more details on the arrest.

Shots fired on the Circle

An Indianapolis metro police officer was on routine patrol just before 4 p.m. last Friday near 55 Monument Circle when he heard approximately three to four gunshots ring out behind him.

Soon after, a man ran up to the officer's squad car and said a person was standing on top of their car and firing shots in the south end of Monument Circle. The officer went over and saw a man standing on top of a Honda Accord that had crashed into a chain-link construction fence.

The man - later identified as Luderson - was reportedly holding a black 9mm Taurus handgun in his right hand and large flag with "FREE HAITI" written on it in his left. Luderson was allegedly waving the gun around and did not listen to the officer when he asked him to come down.

The IMPD officer said that, due to heavy traffic and a high number of bystanders on the Circle, he called for backup. Additional officers soon arrived, shut down nearby roads and "began to retrieve less lethal options."

Leading up to the shots fired

Public safety cameras surrounding Monument Circle captured the moments leading up to Luderson firing shots.

A video time-stamped at 3:51 p.m. shows Luderson's car pull into frame. He reportedly accelerates north on Meridian Street through the Monument Circle roadway. Luderson then crashes into a chain-link fence surrounding construction on the Soldiers & Sailors monument.

The video then shows Luderson get out of the car and retrieve the Free Haiti flag from inside while his car rolls backward in neutral. At 3:53 p.m., a man can be seen walking into frame, walking within ten feet of the armed suspect.

The man later told police he went over to Luderson to check and see if he was okay after hearing the crash and then gunshots. The suspect is then seen on video raising his gun and pointing it at the man trying to help.

Security footage shows the encounter (via IMPD)

The victim told officers he could hear the gun click three times, but that it never fired. He is seen on video flinching after the gun is drawn and told officers he felt in fear for his life.

Other witnesses interviewed by police said they saw Luderson fire three to four shots in the air before jumping onto the roof of his car and waving the flag. He reportedly pointed the gun at several bystanders as well as at his own head. Several bystanders ran for safety.

Less-lethal weapon, arrest

After backup arrived on scene, Luderson reportedly continued to ignore officers' commands to drop his gun. Police say the suspect began walking eastbound on Monument Circle past E. Market Street before changing directions southbound and walking toward W. Market Street.

Luderson eventually walked back down to 1 Monument Circle and was shot "in the backside" by an IMPD officer with a less-lethal launcher. Prior to the less-lethal weapon being fired, IMPD said Luderson never gave up control of his pistol.

After being hit, Luderson dropped his gun and was taken into custody by officers without further incident. Throughout the whole ordeal, officers said Luderson switched between waving his gun around and pointing the gun at his head.

"[Luderson made] statements indicating he wanted Officers to shot him, at points outright stating, 'shoot me'," court documents read. "Luderson was continuously making statements about Haiti during the course of the incident."

Crime scene technicians came to the scene and reportedly found a Taurus 9mm handgun, two 9mm shell casings, three live 9mm rounds and a flag with Free Haiti sprayed onto it. The handgun had been reported stolen last summer, police said.