Inset: Alysha Gulley (IMPD). Background: The area in Indianapolis where police responded to a report that Gulley’s daughter had been shot (Google Maps).
A 37-year-old mother from Indiana is now facing serious legal repercussions after a tragic event involving her young daughter. According to police reports, the woman’s 7-year-old daughter accidentally shot herself inside the family car while they were on their way home. Initially, the mother had reported the incident as a drive-by shooting.
Authorities have charged Alysha Gulley with several felony counts of neglect of a dependent, including one charge that involves bodily injury. These charges come several months after the incident occurred in November 2025, as confirmed by court documents.
The unfortunate shooting took place on November 16, 2025, as Gulley and her children were driving back from a visit to a dollar store located on the northwest side of the city. This information was detailed in a report by WISH, a local CW affiliate.
Responding to the emergency, officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department arrived at the scene on the 1100 block of West 35th Street around 5:45 p.m. Upon arrival, they discovered the young girl in a blue minivan, suffering from a gunshot wound to her pelvis, as reported by WTHR, a local NBC affiliate.
At the time, the child was “awake and breathing” and was promptly stabilized by first responders. Initially, Gulley informed the police that she heard a “loud boom” while driving and subsequently noticed her daughter had been shot. She believed the gunshot came from outside the vehicle, leading her to drive away from the scene. During this time, she called 911, reporting to the dispatcher that she was leaving the area and heading home.
Gulley initially told police she heard a “loud boom” while driving and realized her daughter had been shot, WISH reported. Believing the gunfire came from outside the vehicle, she drove away, calling 911 and telling the dispatcher she was fleeing the area and heading home.
Police who responded to the area where the shooting took place reportedly found no evidence of a shooter. At Gulley’s home, officers noted there was no exterior damage to her minivan, further undermining the claim of a drive-by, according to court documents cited by WTHR.
Investigators soon determined the shooting had happened inside the car, where multiple bullet holes were located, including one where the child had been seated when she was injured.
Gulley reportedly told officers she had a firearm stored in a backpack in the vehicle. Police later recovered the bag on the rear floorboard and found a loaded 9 mm handgun inside with 15 live rounds and a spent casing in the chamber, reportedly consistent with an accidental discharge.
The backpack had been left unzipped and had no locking mechanism. Authorities said there were no other secure storage devices in the vehicle.
Multiple bullet holes were also found inside the minivan, including in the seat where the child had been sitting, police said.
When detectives interviewed the 7-year-old at the hospital, she described the shooting as an “accident,” according to WRTV. The girl said she, her mother, and her sibling had been driving home when Gulley asked for her vape. Unsure who her mother was speaking to, the child said she reached into the backpack to look for the device.
The child said she felt something hard inside the backpack when suddenly “the bag went boom and shot her in the bottom through the bag,” according to WISH.
The child said she did not know there was a gun inside the backpack or even in the vehicle, and added that she does not get into trouble.
Police noted the girl did not show visible signs of abuse, but investigators concluded the unsecured firearm created a dangerous situation that led to the shooting.
Gulley was booked into the Marion County Jail on a $1,000 bond. She is currently scheduled to appear in court for an initial hearing on April 17.
