IMPD investigates after suspect shoots police officer on Indy’s east side

INDIANAPOLIS – Police in Indianapolis are investigating after a suspect shot a police officer on the city’s east side Thursday.

According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, officers were in the area of ​​21^st Street and Emerson Avenue during an investigation at 3:25 p.m.

Police located a suspect with an outstanding arrest warrant in the 5100 block of E. 21.^st Street.

WRTV

According to IMPD, officers attempted to approach the suspect, but the man fled on foot with a gun in his hand. Officers began a foot pursuit in the area.

At some point during the pursuit, the suspect fired at an officer. The officer did not return fire, police said.

After the shot was fired, officers lost sight of the suspect as he continued to flee. IMPD’s SWAT team, police dogs, drone pilots and crisis negotiators arrived on scene to assist.

Officers were able to locate the suspect at a residence in the 1900 block of Hawthorne Lane.

IMPD SWAT officers began issuing loud verbal commands to all residents of the home over a loudspeaker system. The suspect was believed to be the only person in the home and remained barricaded there for several hours, according to police.

According to police, negotiators spoke to the suspect by phone and tried to persuade him to surrender peacefully, but he refused. Eventually, the IMPD SWAT team used an armored vehicle to break down the door of the house.

According to IMPD, the suspect began throwing firecrackers at officers and setting off fireworks inside the house. The SWAT team used tear gas to try to coax the suspect out of the house, but he did not leave.

Eventually, the SWAT team entered the home to search for him. They found him with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound and a handgun in his lap. The suspect was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.

No officers were injured in the incident. There is no ongoing threat to the community.

Homicide detectives from the Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) have taken over the lead of the criminal investigation, which is standard procedure in investigations involving shootings of a police officer.

Anyone with information regarding this incident should contact IMPD Homicide at 317-327-3475 or Crime Stoppers at 317-262-8477.

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