The ominous dispatches for 8951 Mirabel Rd. started flooding the police radio in Indianapolis shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday.
Someone relayed a report of “10 shots, from near the front of the entrance … possibly from the inside. No further seen or heard. Less than one minute ago,” according to audio archived by Broadcastify.
“10-4,” another person said, the radio code for “understood.”
A woman chimed in: “I have a female who’s in a control room who advised that the subject is still shooting. She does not have a visual but can hear the shots.” Another caller described “a possible person shot laying near security in the front entrance of the building,” a man said.
“EMS is staging,” he said.
The reports came in quick succession. Responders thought there might be two shooters.
“White male, dark-colored clothing, walking a parking lot,” a woman said, about a minute and a half after the “10 shots” report.
“Shooter for a white male wearing a hat has a machine gun currently in front of the building,” another call said, rapid-fire.
“An older white male who is on foot, it was possible an employee with a rifle.”
The reports of injuries were piling up, too. One victim was in a bathroom, someone said.
“We have an active shooter currently at FedEx,” a woman said, adding that least five people were reported shot.
Officials were still hearing reports of two shooters. There were more reports of medics staging — and calls to prepare medical centers.
“Control, advise Eskenazi we’ll have multiple patients. Advise them to be ready. Advise St. Vincent.”
“We’re calling the hospitals,” came a reply.
Asked who had found “casualties,” someone responded that a person was shot and “conscious, barely” in the parking lot.
Then, less than 15 minutes after the “10 shots” report, a woman said there was only one perpetrator. He was “down” too, with a gunshot wound to the head, officials said.