Barakeem Akpan remembers the engines and laughter.
He was one of the roughly 30 people who lived in a former homeless encampment under a bridge on East Washington Street close to downtown.
“People came by and revved their car engine laughing,” Akpan, 56, said from inside of the tent he shares with his partner, Jennifer Chatman.
Chatman, 47, hated those sounds. She’s sure people were trying to humiliate her and everyone else living under the I-65/70 bridge.
“It was embarrassing,” Chatman said.
Their temporary shelter didn’t last long, though.
Former residents told Mirror Indy that state and local police started giving warnings to leave a few weeks ago. It isn’t clear exactly when residents left, although homelessness advocates say it’s notable that the sweep happened just before the WNBA All-Star weekend.
One person was arrested in connection with drugs, an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson said.
It isn’t clear when the person was arrested. IMPD and residents said the arrest was made by Indiana State Police. A state police spokesperson couldn’t be reached in time for publication.
Former residents also told Mirror Indy that an Indianapolis Fire Department truck would blast its horn while driving under the bridge. Some residents dismissed the honking, considering there are busy intersections around the bridge. Others felt like it was meant to be disrespectful.
Battalion Chief Rita Reith, a spokesperson for IFD, said no one told IFD about that happening.
“I don’t know how you would say that was intentional because it’s an intersection,” Reith told Mirror Indy. “It’s so heavily traveled.”
On the morning of July 16, the area under the bridge was mostly vacant, except for some people’s belongings left behind. A trespassing sign near the bridge warns against sleeping, camping and even walking.
Now, Akpan and Chatman live on a small lot nearby, along with a handful of other people who were part of the encampment. They set up tents and have a trash can to keep the area clean.
WNBA All-Star weekend raises concern about timing
The camp clearing came as Indianapolis prepares to host WNBA All-Star events this weekend.
Homelessness advocates consistently warn that big events, especially ones bound to draw tourists and national media, lead to more camp clearings and displacement of people experiencing homelessness.
Chelsea Haring-Cozzi, CEO of the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention, said IMPD and the city have told advocates that they don’t do encampment sweeps ahead of large events.
But Haring-Cozzi said she can’t speak for state police.
“Timing is always interesting,” she said.
Kishon Moore, who also previously stayed under the bridge, said he understands why police wouldn’t want dozens of people living there. The bridge was recently reconstructed as part of renovations to the north split. And it’s surrounded on either side by a highway entrance and exit ramp.
Still, Moore, 44, said people living there didn’t have a place to go.
“Y’all just moving us around,” he said. “Can’t do this, can’t do that.”
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Mirror Indy reporter Tyler Fenwick covers housing and labor. Contact him at 317-766-1406 or tyler.fenwick@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on X @ty_fenwick and Bluesky @tyfenwick.bsky.social.
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