INDIANAPOLIS – On Tuesday, February 23, 2021, just before 3:00 p.m., officers with The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) were involved in an officer involved shooting in the 3300 block of Forest Manor Avenue.
IMPD SWAT Quick Response Force (QRF), officers, detectives, and ATF Agents assigned to the Indy Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) were tracking a 21-year-old male suspect who was wanted on two felony robbery warrants related to Marion County Community Corrections violations. The suspect was also being sought for questioning by homicide detectives for an ongoing murder investigation.
Officers identified the male suspect in a vehicle which was travelling southbound in the 3300 block of North Forest Manor Drive. QRF and CGIC, in marked and unmarked police vehicles conducted a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle, which stopped briefly before fleeing southbound for a short distance. Officers used a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) to stop the suspect vehicle.
The wanted suspect, who was the front passenger, jumped out and fired a gun at officers. Several officers engaged the suspect, returning fire, striking the suspect. A SWAT medic was on scene and immediately rendered first aid to the suspect until Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services (IEMS) arrived on scene. The suspect was transported to Eskenazi Hospital in critical condition.
The suspect’s gun was recovered at the apprehension site.
At least three officers were equipped with body-worn cameras which were activated at the time of the shooting.
The driver was transported to an area hospital to be checked out and she has been released from the hospital.
The IMPD Critical Incident Response Team responded to the scene to conduct the criminal investigation. The Marion County Forensic Services Agency is assisting with this investigation.
The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office is engaged with the ongoing criminal investigation and will make a charging determination.
A separate administrative investigation is being conducted by IMPD Internal Affairs.
The officers who fired their guns are on administrative leave as is standard procedure in these incidents. No ATF agents fired their guns during this incident.
Detectives continue to canvass the area for witnesses and other evidence. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 317-262-TIPS.
Last year, Chief Randal Taylor announced the creation of a new civilian-majority Use of Force Review Board, which will have the authority to review uses of force by an IMPD officer, whether a physical altercation, deployment of a taser, or use of a firearm. The Use of Force Review Board will conduct a mandatory hearing for any use of deadly force against a person. Consistent with the Merit Law, the Use of Force Review Board will make an advisory finding related to this incident which will be limited to determining whether the officer’s actions were within departmental policy.
The Indianapolis Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) is an interagency collaboration focused on the timely collection and analysis of crime gun evidence to identify serial shooters and disrupt violent crime. CGIC is a partnership between IMPD, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana, ATF, Indianapolis-Marion County Forensic Services Agency, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, and Fishers Police Department, with Indiana University serving as a research partner.
