INDIANAPOLIS — A man was shot by two Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers after he failed to drop a gun he allegedly pointed at a crowd outside a bar early Saturday morning, according to IMPD.
The incident involved two IMPD officers who began working off-duty employment around 10 p.m. Friday at a bar in the 6300 block of West 34th Street. Around 2 a.m., security guards told the officers about a disturbance involving several people outside near the entrance of the bar.
Officers went outside and saw a man with a gun standing by a car and allegedly pointing it at a crowd of people, according to IMPD. Officers shot the man after he didn't drop the gun when told to by the officers.
The man then ran towards North High School Road and was arrested near 35th Street. Officer then gave medical aid to the man until Indianapolis EMS arrived and took the man to Eskenazi Hospital. He is stable and expected to survive his injuries.
A firearm officers believe to belong to the man was recovered in the parking lot near where officers found him.
He was arrested and preliminarily charged with two counts of pointing a firearm and possession of a handgun, according to IMPD. Formal charges have not been filed yet by the Marion County Prosecutor's Office.
One of the officers involved in the incident was wearing a body camera, which was on and operational during the incident, according to IMPD. The other officer, whose normal assignment is a detective, was not wearing a body camera at the time of the incident.
The body camera video of the incident has not yet been released by IMPD.
Both officers are on administrative leave, which is standard procedure in officer-involved shooting investigations.
Criminal and internal affairs investigations are underway.
The identities of those involved in the incident have not been released.
In October, IMPD Chief Randal Taylor announced a new civilian-majority use of force review board to review use of force cases involving IMPD officers.
"Consistent with the Merit Law, the Use of Force Review Board will make an advisory finding which will be limited to determining whether the officer’s actions were within departmental policy," a statement released Saturday by IMPD read. "When the Use of Force Review Board is ready to review incidents, it will replace the existing Firearms Review Board, and will conduct a mandatory hearing for any use of deadly force against a person."
IMPD used information from the department's computer-aided dispatch system and the preliminary investigation to provide the following summary of events:
- On November 13, 2020 at approximately 10:00 p.m., two Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) police officers marked on to work off-duty employment at El Chila Sports Bar, 6380 W. 34th Street.
- At approximately 2:00 a.m., the officers were alerted by security guards that a disturbance was occurring outside near the entrance of the bar involving multiple people.
- As the officers approached the crowd they observed a latino male (Person #1) standing by a vehicle in the parking lot. Person #1 had a gun and allegedly pointed the gun toward the crowd.
- Officers gave verbal commands for person #1 to drop the weapon. When person #1 failed to comply both officers fired their duty weapons striking him. Person #1 then ran from the scene toward High School Road.
- After a short foot pursuit, officers apprehended Person #1 near the intersection of 35th Street and North High School Road and began rendering medical aid.
- IEMS arrived and transported Person #1 to Eskenazi Hospital. Person #1 is currently listed in stable condition and expected to survive injuries.
- The firearm believed to belong to Person #1 was recovered in the parking lot near where the officers encountered him.
- The IMPD Critical Incident Response Team responded to the scene to conduct the criminal investigation. A separate internal affairs investigation is also being conducted.
- The officers who fired their weapons, both Latino males, are on administrative leave as is standard procedure in these incidents.
- Person #1 was arrested and preliminarily charged with two counts of pointing a firearm (F6) and possession of a handgun without a license (MA). The final charging decision will be up to the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office.
- One of the officers had a body-worn camera on and operational. The second officer was not wearing a camera due to his normal duty assignment as a detective. Detectives are canvassing the area for witnesses.
