Indy mother had 2 sons killed in 2 years following near west side shooting

INDIANAPOLIS -- An Indianapolis mother is grieving and looking for justice after her youngest son was shot to death on the near west side.




The killing is the second time that the mother has lost a son to gun violence.




Just after 9:30 a.m. Friday, at 11th and Tibbs, police believe someone robbed, shot and left 19-year-old Jermiaha Billups dead in the alley.

That violence took place a little more than two years after the victim's brother was killed on the city's east side.




"This don't seem real. It doesn't make any sense," said Tansherice Billups.




Tansherice Billups said since he was young, her youngest son always liked to buy nice things.




"He was my kid that had the filet mignon taste. Since he was little, he always liked the finer things in life," she said.




The death felt like tragic déjà vu for the family. In April 2023, police were called to a gas station at 34th and Emerson where Jermiaha's older brother, 22-year-old Jyir Billups, was shot and was pronounced dead after being rushed to the hospital.

"I feel I'm gonna wake up and both of them are gonna walk through the door and be like gotcha," she said.  "But I know that's not true."




After Jyir's death, the family ran into financial trouble and Jermiaha was charged with drug dealing last year. That case was set to go to trial in just a few weeks.




"He lost hope.  He couldn't see past the right now," said Tansherice Billups.




Tansherice Billups hopes the story of her two sons reminds young people that there's more to life than money and nothing is worth the pain left behind by violence.




"Even if I couldn't help my own, y'all got to know we care," she said.  "We've got to get these kids back to loving themselves, because when you love yourself, you value life."




So far, no arrests have been made in either of the two homicides.




Anyone with information about the incident this month in the alley behind Tibbs should call Detective Douglas Swails at the IMPD Homicide Office at 317.327.3475 or e-mail the detective at Douglas.Swails@indy.gov.




Anyone with information about the 2023 incident should contact Detective Michael Wright at the IMPD Homicide Office at 317.327.3475 or e-mail him at Michael.Wright@indy.gov




Alternatively, they can call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317.262.8477 or (TIPS) to remain anonymous.





via: https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/indy-mother-had-2-sons-killed-in-2-years-following-near-west-side-shooting/