A young Indiana University graduate with a promising future was shot and killed in a downtown Indianapolis parking garage while he was on his way to meet his parents for a baseball game.
Brett Scrogham, 23, died Thursday night after he was shot inside a parking garage near the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis, according to local reports.
He was rushed to the hospital after the shooting, but did not survive his injuries.
Scrogham had reportedly been heading to meet his parents to watch the Indianapolis Indians, the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates, when he was killed.
Police said a witness heard gunshots and saw another man running from the scene. No suspect was in custody, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The killing has devastated Scrogham’s family, friends and former classmates, who described him as a gifted young man whose life had only just begun.
Scrogham had recently graduated in May from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, one of the top business schools in the country. He was also recognized as a top-100 student, a distinction that highlighted his academic success and leadership.
Those who knew him said he was not just bright, but deeply kind, driven and grounded in his Christian faith.
Close family friend Dwayne Sawyer said the Scrogham family and his own family had become close through the Christian Communicators of America speech and debate league.
Sawyer said Brett stood out in a way that was hard to miss.
“He was about to change the world. I truly, truly, mean that,” Sawyer told WRTV. “Brett was that spark; he had that x-factor, if you will.”
Sawyer remembered him as more than just a talented student.
“Not only was he intelligent, articulate, young Christian man, he just had that something special still within him that I knew, we all knew, he was destined for greatness,” he said.
Scrogham’s death reached beyond Indianapolis. On Tuesday, Indiana Sen. Jim Banks honored him on the Senate floor in Washington, D.C.
Banks said friends described Scrogham as “a God-fearing Christian man” who was always willing to help others.
“Though I never had the chance to meet him, it’s clear to me that Brett was really an incredible person,” Banks said. “And now I’ll never get the chance to meet this bright young man.”
The senator also used the moment to criticize Indianapolis leadership and what he described as soft-on-crime policies.
“The Mayor of Indianapolis put out a weak statement that didn’t even mention Brett’s name, and so I wanted to come down to the floor and talk about who he was and what’s happening in Indianapolis,” Banks said.
Banks pointed to other recent deadly incidents in the city, including the killing of Gregory Anderson, a father of five, in the downtown bar district before the Indy 500, and the killing of a 16-year-old on the city’s northwest side.
He also criticized Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears, accusing him of failing to keep violent criminals behind bars.
“If we keep making excuses for why we can’t enforce the law and keep violent criminals in prison, we will never have safe neighborhoods and communities — and innocent people like Brett will continue to pay the price,” Banks said.
Authorities have not announced an arrest in Scrogham’s killing, and police continue searching for answers.
For his loved ones, the loss is unbearable. A 23-year-old who had just graduated, who was preparing to build a future, and who was simply walking to meet his parents for a baseball game never made it there.
