Indianapolis politician says shots fired at his home after data center vote
INDIANAPOLIS — An Indianapolis council member said more than a dozen bullets were fired at 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 Council member 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 at his home. In total, 13 shots were fired at the residence.
A handwritten note that read "No Data Centers" was also left under the doormat, according to the spokesperson. No injuries were reported, but Gibson's eight-year-old son was home at the time.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department confirmed that officers were called to Gibson's residence just after 9 a.m. on April 6 for reports of shots fired into a home. Police said they are investigating the incident as an isolated event, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation is assisting.
"I understand that public service can bring strong opinions and disagreement, but violence is never the answer, especially when it puts families at risk," Gibson said in a statement.
Indianapolis council member shared support for data center proposal
The incident comes less than one week after Gibson supported 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 Metrobloks, a Los Angeles-based startup, to build the data center.
Metrobloks plans to spend $500 million to build two large buildings to house large servers on the 14-acre site on the northeast side of Indianapolis. The campus would span roughly 168,000 square feet and include 36 electrical generators. Utility company AES Indiana will supply power to the 75-megawatt center, with Metrobloks agreeing to pay for 100% of fiber and energy infrastructure upgrades needed.
At the public hearing, Gibson spoke in support of the project, saying the site had sat idle for years and did little for economic development in the neighborhood. At the next full Indianapolis City-County Council meeting, the council will certify approval of the rezoning for Metrobloks to build the data center.
"This site has remained underutilized for years, and today's action is an important step toward bringing it back into productive use in a way that benefits both the surrounding neighborhood and our city," Gibson said in a statement on April 1. "As the district councilor, when this petition comes before the full Council, I do not intend to call it down."
Local officials condemn incident at Indianapolis council member's home
Indianapolis City-County Council President Maggie Lewis said the council condemned the act of violence against Gibson and asked anyone with information to come forward to the authorities. Police have not announced any suspects as of April 7.
"The entire Indianapolis City-County Council is deeply disturbed and heartbroken by the violent act targeting the home of our colleague, Councilor Ron Gibson. The reported discharge of gunfire, paired with a threatening message left behind, represents an alarming and unacceptable escalation," Lewis said in a statement.
"Differences in opinion are a natural and necessary part of civic life. But violence, threats, and intimidation are not forms of dialogue—they are attacks on our shared commitment to democracy, civil discourse, and community safety," she added.
After the incident, the council ran mostly business as usual on the night of April 6 for its regularly scheduled meeting. Following the meeting, Gibson condemned the violence and said he would continue to show up to work every day to represent his constituents' interests.
Gibson also said he did not regret speaking in support of the project, which he described as an economic development boon for the neighborhood and city.
Data centers face community opposition across US
Data centers have risen as a pressing issue for local communities across the United States. Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet's Google have each recently abandoned the construction of multibillion-dollar data centers over community opposition.
In Indianapolis, neighborhood groups have formed to organize information campaigns and protests against data centers. Many neighbors have argued that placing a data center at the site would not serve the community and would pose environmental and health risks to the predominantly Black neighborhood that has struggled to attract investment to the area.
A 2025 report by the University of Michigan’s Science, Technology, and Public Policy program found that data centers do not bring in high-paying technology jobs and raise utility rates for nearby communities. The technology hubs filled with computer servers that power the digital world also require large amounts of energy and water to operate.
In 2025, data centers accounted for more than 4% of the total electricity consumption in the United States. That demand is expected to reach upwards of 12% by 2028. Data centers in North America also used nearly 1 trillion liters of water in 2025, which is roughly equivalent to the annual demands of New York City, according to data from market research firm Mordor Intelligence.
Contributing: Caitlin Looby, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; Reuters