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"Battle of Elder" Shootout in Indianapolis


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I just found out about this today. I am going to ask more about this. Here is the article.I did notice the Thompson did not have a magazine in it in any photos. Obviously, some staged photos after the event.


This shootout, known as the "Battle of Elder," is one of the most violent events in Indianapolis police history.
“The 64-year-old man had beaten one of their children, and Janie Ellis had to get help. But Howard Ellis had other ideas.
She escaped and fled to a neighbor's home to call the hospital, and then police.
But when officers arrived at the house on the 700 block of North Elder Avenue on June 30, 1954, Howard Ellis was ready. Gun in hand, he fired away.
More officers raced in. Ellis shot one in the head, chest and arm. He shot at an armored car filled with officers.
As the gunfight escalated, the number of wounded increased. Soon, 200 officers had responded.
The shootout, known as the "Battle of Elder," is still the most violent event in Indianapolis police history.
According to the IMPD and Pearsey's research, some of it from news stories, this is how the event unfolded:
Ellis, the only one who died in the shootout, had spent time at a mental hospital. Although he was supposedly making progress, his wife later said that he had beaten her, molested one of their foster children and tortured animals.
His troubles reached a boiling point. When police closed in, bullets flew.
"If I go back to the hospital, I'll send you to hell first," Ellis yelled.
Paul Pearsey, who at one point hid behind a telephone pole, was shot in the head, chest and arm.
Myron Rance, who was driving the armored car carrying officers, got glass in his eye when Ellis shot out the windshield.
Paul White was shot from the back of the house. Dora Ward was shot at the end of the driveway. Other officers were shot as they tried to help one another.
In all, 200 on-duty and off-duty officers responded to the call. They brought tear gas, machine guns and two borrowed armored cars. Thousands of rounds of ammunition were fired.”
See: https://www.indystar.com/…/years-ago-indianapolis…/12260727/
From historian Patrick Pearsey: LIFE Magazine - July 12, 1954. This issue covers an event that occurred in Indianapolis known locally as "The Battle of Elder Avenue", where nine police officers were shot (all survived but many were seriously or critically wounded.) Page 1 of this story is as large as I could save it.”
The magazine is found online at this URL, look for page 16:
https://books.google.com/books…
See: https://www.impdphotography.com/…/The-Battle-of-Elder-Aven…/

 

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