'Shots fired' at Indianapolis council member Ron Gibson's home, note found at doorstep says 'No data centers', comes after voting for …

Data centre protests in America may be getting more violent. Protestors at Indianapolis, US, have reportedly fired 13 shots at the home of City-County Council member Ron Gibson last week and have left a note at his doorstep reading "NO DATA CENTERS,". In what police are calling an isolated, targeted act, the incident has been linked to opposition to a proposed data centre project in the city.A CBS report citing local officials noted that Gibson said the shots were fired at his front door after midnight while he and his family were inside. “My 8-year-old son and I were not physically harmed, but we were awakened by the sound of gunfire. Like any parent, I immediately ran to him and reassured him that he was safe,” Gibson, who is now in his third term on the council, said in a statement.Gibson linked the shooting to his position on a proposed data center in the city's Martindale-Brightwood neighbourhood. "This was not just an attack on my home, but endangered my child and disrupted the safety of our entire neighbourhood. I understand that public service can bring strong opinions and disagreement, but violence is never the answer, especially when it puts families at risk,” he said.The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said officers were called to the home the morning after the incident. Police found evidence of gunfire and a note placed in a zip-closed bag at the doorstep. Authorities also confirmed that the FBI is assisting in the investigation. However, no suspect has been identified so far.How Ron Gibson got involved in data centre protests Data centres used to store, train, and run artificial intelligence (AI) models have become a point of debate in several towns across the US. This is partly because they draw power from shared electric grids, which can increase costs for residents and use large amounts of water, raising concerns about their environmental and public health impacts.Days before the shooting, Gibson attended a Metropolitan Development Commission meeting to support the re-zoning of 2505 North Sherman Drive. The site is where Metrobloks LLC plans to build a data centre along with other business offices, the CBS report noted.When Gibson spoke at the meeting, he was met with boos from attendees. “There are real benefits tied to this development. Construction is expected to support roughly 300 jobs over a three-year period,” he said.After he expressed support for the project, attendees were asked to stand if they opposed it, and most of the crowd stood up. Despite the opposition, the Metropolitan Development Commission approved the project last week, the report added. The re-zoning petition still needs approval from the Indianapolis City-County Council.Protect Martindale-Brightwood, a local group opposing the project, said it was not involved in the incident and condemned the violence. The group took to social media to write: “Violence has no place in our community or our advocacy. We want to be clear: any signage or messaging at the scene is not affiliated with our organisation and does not reflect who we are. Our work is rooted in peaceful, community-led advocacy grounded in respect and accountability.”Indianapolis City-County Council President Maggie Lewis also called for civil discourse and said, “Differences in opinion are a natural and necessary part of civic life. But violence, threats, and intimidation are not forms of dialogue—they are attacks on our shared commitment to democracy, civil discourse, and community safety.”