INDIANAPOLIS — A man from Indianapolis has admitted guilt for attempted murder after he enticed two IMPD officers to an area close to the Indiana State Fairgrounds and then ambushed and stabbed them. The motive behind the attack was reportedly in response to a significant medical bill he was unable to pay.
Deonta Williams, 22, pleaded guilty on Thursday in Marion County Court to two counts of attempted murder, classified as level 1 felonies. The charges arise from a 2021 incident where two officers of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department were stabbed in the near north side of the city.
IMPD officers responded to a disturbance call around 1:10 a.m. on Dec. 1, 2021, in the 1400 block of Fairfield Avenue near the Indiana State Fairgrounds. A man, later identified as Williams, reported being harassed by another individual to 911.
Within five minutes, two IMPD officers arrived and found Williams in the street. After informing Williams they would investigate, they turned to walk away, but Williams attacked them with two different knives. One officer was stabbed in the chest and the other slashed in the neck.
In response, both officers drew their guns and ordered Williams to the ground, but he refused. They then fired shots at Williams, striking him multiple times until he fell.
While keeping Williams under guard, backup officers recovered knives from the nearby grass. Both injured officers received immediate first aid and were transported to Eskenazi Hospital for successful surgeries, addressing their wounds. Williams, also wounded, was initially taken to Methodist Hospital for treatment before being transferred to custody.
During questioning, Williams admitted fabricating the harassment call to draw officers, feeling owed by the city due to unpaid medical bills. He stated he intended to harm an officer as a form of personal justice.
Williams subsequently pleaded guilty to attempted murder charges and awaits sentencing scheduled for July 19, 2024. He also faces charges related to possessing a deadly weapon while in jail, to which he has also pled guilty.
