Police say the 17-year-old stole a Cadillac at gunpoint before a chase and shooting unfolded across Indianapolis’ east side.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — A 17-year-old has been charged as an adult after authorities said an armed carjacking led to a vehicle chase and gunfire on Indianapolis’ east side, followed by a police search that ended with the teenager’s arrest.
Marcus Mitchell pleaded not guilty Tuesday to armed robbery, auto theft and unlawful carrying of a firearm, according to court records cited in local reports. His bond was set at $50,000. The charges stem from a Sept. 30 encounter at a Marathon gas station on East 21st Street that investigators say escalated into the theft of a white Cadillac SUV and a series of events involving gunfire.
According to court records, investigators said Mitchell approached a man at the gas station while wearing a full-face mask and carrying an orange backpack. Authorities allege Mitchell displayed a handgun and attempted to shoot the man before taking his white Cadillac SUV. The reports reviewed did not indicate that the man was struck by gunfire during the confrontation.
The stolen Cadillac was later seen traveling through the area as another vehicle followed it, according to investigators. Surveillance cameras at Scecina Memorial High School captured vehicles moving through the school parking lot during the pursuit. Investigators said shots were fired from the driver’s side window of the stolen Cadillac during the chase. The available reports did not identify anyone who was injured by that gunfire.
The Sept. 30 incident followed the theft of another SUV from a driveway on North Beville Avenue a day earlier, according to a report citing the investigation. Authorities were examining the sequence of vehicle thefts and other activity as they worked to determine how the events were connected. Publicly available reporting did not establish whether Mitchell has been charged in connection with every incident investigators examined.
The investigation continued after the Cadillac chase. Police later focused on an attempted robbery in the area of North Oxford Street and used a drone while searching for Mitchell, according to reports based on court records. Officers eventually located and arrested him in an alley. Investigators also recovered evidence they believed was connected to the case.
Police found a handgun and ammunition that investigators said had been hidden in a trash can. Reporting on the court records also said authorities recovered an orange backpack containing a large-capacity ammunition magazine. Those items became part of the evidence cited in the investigation. Authorities have not publicly established in the reports reviewed that every recovered item was used during each alleged offense.
The case has moved into Marion County’s adult criminal court system, where Mitchell is presumed innocent unless proved guilty. His not-guilty plea contests the allegations against him, and prosecutors will have to establish the charges through the court process. The reports reviewed did not provide a final determination about whether other people could face charges in connection with the vehicle chase or gunfire.
Mitchell remained subject to a $50,000 bond following his not-guilty plea. The criminal case was still pending as of Wednesday, and the allegations surrounding the carjacking, chase and shooting have not been adjudicated.
Author note: Last updated Oct. 7, 2026.