An Indianapolis city councilor said his home was fired at on Monday, with a note left behind suggesting he had been targeted over his support of datacenters.
The case involving Ron Gibson – a Democrat on Indianapolis’s city council – comes amid growing bipartisan concern in the US over political violence in the wake of cases such as the September murder of Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist.
Gibson had recently expressed support for rezoning tied to a proposed 14-acre, $500m datacenter project in the Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood of the municipal district that he represents.
Speaking to local outlets including the Indy Star, a spokesperson for Gibson said that he was woken up at about 12.45am by multiple gunshots. A total of 13 rounds were reportedly fired at his home, where his eight-year-old son was present at the time, the Indy Star reported.
Photos provided by Gibson show a note in a ziplock bag reading, “No data centers,” placed under a doormat amid shattered glass. A screen door was also damaged, with multiple bullet holes visible.
According to the Indianapolis metropolitan police department: “We believe this was an isolated, targeted incident.” The department added that no injuries were reported and that the FBI was assisting with the investigation.
Less than a week earlier, Gibson had publicly backed the proposed datacenter by Metrobloks, a Los Angeles-based startup, saying it would bring long-term benefits to the community.
In a statement after the Indianapolis metropolitan development commission’s 6-2 approval of the project, Gibson said: “Importantly, the project already includes a [$2.5m] to support Martindale-Brightwood, with early estimates showing that at least [$20m] and potentially more could be directed into the neighborhood through additional investments. MetroBloks has the potential to bring significant investment, create jobs, and generate long-term tax revenue that supports infrastructure, housing, and essential services.”
Gibson also said: “This site has remained underutilized for years, and [the development commission’s approval] is an important step toward bringing it back into productive use in a way that benefits both the surrounding neighborhood and our city.”
After Monday’s alleged attack, Maggie A Lewis, the Indianapolis city council president, told the local outlet 13 News that all of Gibson’s colleagues were “deeply disturbed and heartbroken by the violent act targeting” him.
“The reported discharge of gunfire, paired with a threatening message left behind, represents an alarming and unacceptable escalation,” Lewis said.
She continued: “No elected official – or any resident of Indianapolis – should ever fear for their safety because of their public service or policy positions. Differences in opinion are a natural and necessary part of civic life. But violence, threats, and intimidation are not forms of dialogue – they are attacks on our shared commitment to democracy, civil discourse, and community safety.”
