Steven W. Edmundson, a chef for Delta Tau Delta, has not yet been taken into custody. Photo by Lauren Gdowski.
ANNIE FAULKNER | NEWS CO-EDITOR | aefaulkn@butler.edu
GABI MORANDO | NEWS CO-EDITOR | gmorando@butler.edu
On the morning of March 17, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department was called to the scene of a shooting at an apartment complex on North Arlington Avenue, 5.5 miles away from the Butler University campus. As of now, March 21, the suspect has still not been taken into custody.
Steven W. Edmundson, a chef at the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, was identified by IMPD as a suspect in the shooting. The victim, a woman, was shot multiple times; a baby was reportedly removed from the home and placed in daycare. Edmundson’s car, a 2013 white Dodge Ram, was found at the scene.
According to a BUPD timely warning sent out on the afternoon of March 17, Edmundson called in the morning of the shooting to report that he would not be at work.
Edmunson has a history of crimes dating back to April of 2008, with his most recent offense taking place last September. His charges include forgery, theft and instances of driving while suspended and without financial responsibility of a vehicle.
For some members of the Butler community, the situation did not seem like it could be real.
Sam Plumridge, a sophomore strategic communication major, said she originally heard about the shooting — and its Butler connection — through the Citizen app and initially could not believe that the shooting suspect was someone who worked closely with some members of the Butler community.
“I went and saw the email [from BUPD], and I was like, ‘oh yeah, that checks out,’’” Plumridge said. “So then it was one of those things where it was like, ‘oh, so what I saw [on] Citizen was true.’ … I felt like I was more shocked when I saw the timely warning, because what I saw on Citizen was really relevant to campus and to us.”
As a member of a sorority on campus, Plumridge said the chef at her house frequently interacts with students. She said this relatively close proximity makes her question the precautions taken when hiring staff to work in Greek houses.
“It’s shocking,” Plumridge said. “I feel like if something like that were to happen [to my sorority] obviously I would be very scared and concerned, like, what’s the process of these people who apply and have to meet the people at the house? Are they just allowing anybody to do this kind of thing? Do they have background checks? Just because it is like something where you are working with a lot of people.”
On the day of the shooting, Chief of Public Safety John Conley said BUPD was continuously monitoring campus, as well as having officers stationed at the Delta Tau Delta house. While there is no longer continued presence at the fraternity house, Sr. Police Officer Dennis Nike said BUPD’s regular patrol of campus has not changed.
“We always monitor campus,” Nike said. “We patrol regularly in all areas. We have several officers on campus every shift.”
According to IMPD reports, four police officers were initially dispatched to the crime scene, with another three arriving shortly after. All officers were cleared from the scene before 11:00 a.m. with the exception of one officer, who remained dispatched until 3:54 p.m.
Timeline of events:
9:14: Shooting occurs
9:16: Police are called
9:17: IMPD is dispatched to 4200 N Arlington Ave
9:19: IMPD arrives at scene
9:20: Scene declared safe for medics
9:24: EMTs arrive at the scene
If students have any information regarding the suspect, they can call BUPD’s emergency line at +1 317-940-9999.
Representatives of the Beta Zeta chapter of Delta Tau Delta declined to comment on this story.
