Bloomington shooting: seven taken to hospital after gunfire on Kirkwood Avenue near Indiana University on Halloween night
Seven people went to hospital after gunfire in a crowd on Kirkwood Avenue in Bloomington, Indiana. Police arrested a man who was seen running with a gun.
At a glance
- Seven people were taken to hospitals after shots were fired in the 400 block of East Kirkwood Avenue at about 1:30 a.m. on Sunday.
- Officers were already watching a large crowd nearby when they heard the gunfire. No deaths have been reported.
- A man was arrested after officers saw him running with a gun; police do not yet know whether he fired.
- It is at least the third shooting on the strip this year, after incidents in April and September.
Seven people were taken to hospitals after gunfire broke out in a crowd on Kirkwood Avenue in downtown Bloomington, Indiana, at about 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, in the hours after Halloween night. No deaths have been reported. Police arrested a man shortly afterwards, but say they do not yet know whether he fired a shot.
The street is the main bar and restaurant strip next to the Indiana University campus, and it was crowded when the shots were fired.
Officers were already watching the crowd
Bloomington police officers were monitoring a large gathering near Kirkwood Avenue and Dunn Street when they heard gunshots from the 400 block of East Kirkwood. That placed them within reach as the crowd scattered.
Officers found several people with wounds, and seven victims were taken away by ambulance. Police have not released their names, ages or detailed conditions, and they have not said whether any of them are Indiana University students.
Bloomington police, Indiana University police and Indiana State Police all responded.
What police know so far, and what they don't
| Question | Latest from police |
|---|---|
| When and where | About 1:30 a.m., 400 block of East Kirkwood Avenue |
| Injured | Seven taken to hospitals |
| Deaths | None reported |
| Arrest | One man, seen running from the scene with a gun |
| Did he fire? | Not yet known |
| Possible cause | Early information points to a disturbance in the crowd just before the shots |
The open question matters. Carrying a gun and fleeing does not establish who shot whom, and police have not ruled out another shooter. They have not said what charges the man might face.
Third shooting on the same strip this year
Kirkwood Avenue has now seen gunfire at least three times in 2026. On April 26, during Little 500 weekend, five women were shot along the street. In September, a 19-year-old man was wounded during a disturbance near the campus.
Sunday's shooting matches April's in one respect: both came during a big social weekend, when the street fills with students and visitors. That is likely to put fresh pressure on the city and the university over how such nights are policed.
It was also not the only shooting at a large US gathering this weekend. Hours earlier, one person was killed and eight were wounded near Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, after the Magic City Classic football game.
What happens next
Investigators will try to establish whether the arrested man fired, and whether anyone else did. The first formal steps are likely to be a decision on charges and an update on the conditions of the seven victims. Police have not given a time for their next statement.
