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Petition addressed to:
Marion County Prosecutor’s Office
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD)
Office of the Mayor, City of Indianapolis
To the officials listed above,
We, the undersigned, demand truth, accountability, and justice for Jamar Thomas and Lamonte Thomas.
On March 7, at approximately 2 a.m. near the intersection of East Washington and North Pennsylvania Streets in downtown Indianapolis, Jamar Thomas and his nephew Lamonte Thomas were involved in an incident that has been fundamentally misrepresented by IMPD and local media.
According to official police reports, Jamar and Lamonte Thomas attempted to rob a man with a gun downtown. During the struggle, the man—who was armed—fired one round, striking Jamar in the abdomen. Lamonte continued to struggle with the shooter until officers arrived.
Jamar Thomas was taken to the hospital. He later died from his gunshot wound on March 24 while in police custody. Lamonte Thomas was arrested at the scene.
Both men were charged with robbery resulting in bodily injury, criminal confinement, and battery. Lamonte faces an additional strangulation charge. The shooter was released, with police categorizing his actions as self-defense.
But the family and community tell a different story—one that IMPD have refused to fully investigate or publish. Lamonte restrained an armed gunman, 21-year-old Christian Bunnell, who had just shot his uncle. He may have saved lives that night. Instead of being treated as a hero, he sits in jail awaiting trial on April 27.
Meanwhile, Jamar’s 18-year-old daughter is being denied benefits from Eli Lilly because the state continues to charge her deceased father with a crime.
We demand the following:
- The prosecutor must release all footage, reports, and evidence for independent review.
- Drop the charges on Lamonte and Jamar Thomas immediately.
- Arrest and charge the shooter, Christian Bunnell, with the murder of Jamar Thomas.
Why this matters:
If the institutions we are supposed to trust—the police, the prosecutor’s office, the media—can lie about Jamar and Lamonte Thomas, they can lie about anyone. This is not just about one family. This is about whether truth and justice still exist in Indianapolis.
We will not look away. We will not be silent. We demand answers. We demand justice.
- Edward Sanders
- Erica Scott
- Stephen Lane II, Treasurer, Indiana Black Librarians Network
- Jasmine Moody, Engineer
- Reese Hearn, Student
- Micah Brown, Therapist
- Liz Canfield, College Professor
- Isabella Starvaggi, Student
- Caitlin Jarrett, Student
- Johnny Hall, Trade Compliance
- Austin Long, Mail Carrier
- Lindsey Holtgrave, Data Research Analyst
- Joseph Germanos, Management
- Rain Hubner, Library Worker
- Kristen McSorley, Marketing
- Emma Rees, Admin Assistant
- Charlotte Troup, Veterinary Technician
- Brooks Behr, Educator
- Katie Lietz
- Tate Adams, Medical Manufacturing
- Callahan Gobble, Writer
- Billie Marcheva, Career Services Professional
- Michael MacCubbin
- Marissa Wilson, PSL
- Rocco Sharp, Sales Clerk
- Rania Hatab, Rockland Coalition to End the New Jim Crow; Lower Hudson Valley DSA
- Lauren Fisher, Retired
- Kaytlyn Porter, Retail
- Chessa Rae Johnson, Accountant
Featured photo: Photo collage (from left to right) Jamar Thomas; Jamar’s son and family holding up placards at a vigil for Jamar; Lamonte Thomas at Jamar’s Celebration of Life at the Indianapolis Liberation Center. Photo credit: Indianapolis Liberation Center.