Former Indiana Offensive Lineman Chris Beaty Dead at 38 After Shooting in Indianapolis

Chris Beaty, a former Indiana offensive lineman, was killed over the weekend in Indianapolis after suffering multiple gunshot wounds in a shooting on Saturday night, according to the Indianapolis Star. He was 38 years old. Beaty was pronounced dead on the scene, and the shooting was one of the multiple violent incidents that happened over the weekend. Indianapolis is one of the many cities in the country that dealt with protests and riots in response to the death of George Floyd. However, it's unclear if Beaty's death was related to those events.

Beaty played for the Hoosiers from 2000 to 2004. Current head coach Tom Allen talked about how much Beaty supported him and the program since joining the coaching staff in 2016. "I'm a loss for words, he said in a statement. "The news of the passing of Chris Beaty is just devastating. Since I returned home to coach at Indiana, Chris embraced me, encouraged me and supported me! His passion for life and Indiana football energized me every time we were together. He was one of our first alumni that displayed his unwavering support for what we are building here at Indiana and how we are building it. I am so heartbroken for his family, and he will be deeply missed by those that were blessed to call him a friend!" Along with playing at Indiana, Beaty played high school football at Cathedral High School in the area and was part of the team that won state titles in 1996, 1998 and 1999. After college, Beaty went on to run multiple nightclubs in Indianapolis.

Like other protests across the country, the one in Indianapolis started peacefully. However, as it got later, things began to get more violent as soon as the organized protests ended. Protesters started to break windows, start fires and spray graffiti on buildings, according to the Indianapolis Star. On early Sunday morning, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett called the violence "inexcusable" after saying the protest earlier in the day went smoothly.

"This afternoon, our city hosted a successful protest that allowed hundreds to lift up their cause and have their voices safely heard," Hogsett wrote on Twitter. "Since it ended, a small group of people have chosen to diminish that activism through inexcusable violence. It is unacceptable, and it must stop."