INDIANAPOLIS — A man is in custody after he reportedly fired multiple shots in the air in Monument Circle on Friday.
According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, around 4 p.m., officers responded to the Circle after reports of a person armed with a weapon. Officers learned that an individual had fired shots into the air.
Officers quickly arrived and located an adult male in the roadway, armed with a handgun, and yelling loudly while waving a flag.
A witness at the scene recounted the chaotic incident where a man drove into the circle, crashed his vehicle into a gate, and exited with a "Free Haiti" flag in one hand and a gun in the other.
"The next thing you know he pulls out a gun, he tries to shoot it and he couldn't at first, so he tries again and shoots it like three times in the air, people start running and you know he gets on top of the car and puts the gun to his head and he's just pacing around."
She said another witness went up to the armed man and tried to talk him down. The armed man pointed the gun at the witness but didn't shoot.
"It was crazy the police were trying to get him to stop, they ended up getting him," she said.
Police said they had to use additional resources to de-escalate the situation. They implemented physical barriers to minimize risk and protect bystanders.
During the incident, police said they used at least one "less-lethal launcher." Once they successfully disarmed the suspect, they took him into custody without any further escalation.
A firearm and multiple shell casings were recovered at the scene. The adult male suspect now faces preliminary charges of criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon and pointing a loaded firearm
