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INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis City Council member says more than a dozen shots were fired into his home on April 6, less than a week after he publicly supported a data center project that has been embroiled in controversy for the past six months.
A spokesperson for Indianapolis City-County Councilman Ron Gibson told the Indianapolis Star, part of the USA TODAY Network, that Gibson woke up around 12:45 a.m. local time on April 6 to a series of gunshots fired inside his home. A total of 13 shots were fired into the residence.
A handwritten note was also left under the doormat that read, “No data centers allowed,” the spokesperson said. No injuries were reported, but Gibson’s 8-year-old son was home at the time.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department confirmed that shortly after 9 a.m. on April 6, officers were called to Gibson’s residence for a report of shots fired at a residence. Police said they are investigating the incident as an isolated incident and are being assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“We understand that there can be strong opinions and disagreements in public services, but violence is never the answer, especially when it puts families at risk,” Gibson said in a statement.
Indianapolis City Council members share support for data center proposal
The incident comes less than a week after Gibson endorsed a proposed data center in his district. On April 1, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Development Commission voted 6-2 to approve a rezoning petition that would allow Los Angeles-based startup Metroblox to build a data center.
Metrobloks plans to spend $500 million to build two large buildings to house its large-scale servers on a 14-acre site on the northeast side of Indianapolis. The campus will be approximately 168,000 square feet and will include 36 generators. Utility company AES Indiana will supply power to the 75-megawatt center, and Metroblox agrees to pay for 100% of the required fiber and energy infrastructure upgrades.
Gibson spoke in support of the project at the public hearing, saying the site has been abandoned for years and has contributed little to economic development in the neighborhood. At the next full meeting of the Indianapolis City-County Council, the council is expected to certify approval of a zoning change for Metroblox to build the data center.
“This site has been underutilized for years, and today’s action is an important step toward returning it to productive use in a way that benefits both the surrounding area and our city,” Gibson said in an April 1 statement. “As a district councilor, I have no intention of withdrawing this petition even if it is presented to the full council.”
Local authorities condemn incident at Indianapolis City Council member’s home
Indianapolis City-County Council President Maggie Lewis said the council condemned the violent act against Gibson and asked anyone with information to come forward to authorities. As of April 7, police have not announced any suspects.
“The entire Indianapolis City-County Council is deeply disturbed and distressed by the violence that targeted the home of our colleague, Councilman Ron Gibson. The reported shooting and the threatening messages left demonstrate an alarming and unacceptable escalation,” Lewis said in a statement.
“Disagreement is a natural and necessary part of civil life. But violence, threats and intimidation are not forms of dialogue. They are an attack on our shared commitment to democracy, civil discourse and community security,” she added.
After the incident, the city council held its regular meeting on the night of April 6th as usual. After the rally, Gibson condemned the violence and said he would continue to come to work every day to represent the interests of his constituents.
Gibson also said he doesn’t regret speaking out in support of the project, saying it will be an economic development boon for the neighborhood and the city.
Data centers face community opposition across the US
Data centers have emerged as a pressing issue for communities across the United States. Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet Inc.’s Google each recently abandoned plans to build multibillion-dollar data centers over community objections.
In Indianapolis, neighborhood groups have formed to organize information campaigns and protests against data centers. Many nearby residents argue that locating the data center there would not help the community and pose environmental and health risks to the predominantly Black neighborhood, which has struggled to attract investment to the area.
According to a 2025 report by the University of Michigan’s Science, Technology, and Public Policy Program, data centers do not bring well-paying technology jobs or raise utility costs in nearby communities. Technology hubs filled with computer servers that power our digital world also require large amounts of energy and water to operate.
By 2025, data centers will account for more than 4% of total electricity consumption in the United States. This demand is expected to reach more than 12% by 2028. Data centers in North America will also use nearly 1 trillion liters of water in 2025, roughly equivalent to the annual demand of New York City, according to data from market research firm Mordor Intelligence.
Contributor: Caitlin Looby, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Reuters
