MICHIGAN CITY — A man accused of running from Michigan City police officers Tuesday was injured when he fell on the ground after an officer deployed a Taser, the police say video released Thursday shows.
The video was released to dispel inaccurate accounts of the situation on social media, a news release from the Michigan City Police Department said.
Police say they encountered the 26-year-old man while investigating a report of a suspicious vehicle chasing two men who were walking.
Michigan City officers responded on Tuesday to the report in the 1000 block of West Ninth Street. The reports indicated one possibly had a weapon, according to a news release from the department.
When they got there, officers found a man who was wearing clothing that matched the description given by dispatch. Officers then conducted an “investigative stop,” police said.
Police said they initially could not confirm the identity of the man because he gave them different names. When they attempted to take him into custody, the man ran from police.
Officers then deployed a Taser, which caused the man to fall and suffer injuries to his face, police said.
While awaiting an ambulance, police retrieved a gun from the man, body camera video shows.
The was taken to a local hospital and was released from police custody due to his injuries, police said.
Michigan City police said that due to "non-factual accounts" on social media, Chief Dion Campbell held a meeting at the department to allow family members, Mayor Duane Parry, a member of the common council, a member of the Northwest Indiana Ministerial Alliance, and a member of the LaPorte County NAACP to view the body camera footage.
"After reviewing the incident and understanding the facts of the body camera, Chief Dion Campbell is fully supporting the actions of the officers, stating, that they acted in accordance to the law and with professionalism," the department said in a release.
The case has been forwarded to the LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office for possible charges against the man for false identity statement, resisting law enforcement and carrying a firearm without a permit.
It is WRTV's policy to not name suspects until they are formally charged.
Police body camera video of the encounter can be viewed below.
Editor's note: The video contains graphic images.
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