INDIANAPOLIS — A man who was shot and killed by Indianapolis police Wednesday evening on the city's northwest side has been identified
According to a public information officer for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, the male suspect was shot during an exchange of gunfire with police at North Michigan Road and West 62nd Street. The officer was not wounded.
A police report says IMPD Deputy Chief Kendale Adams was on Interstate-65 near West 30th Street at about 6 p.m. Wednesday when he saw a Toyota Corolla driving recklessly. Right behind Adams in another car was IMPD Chief Randal Taylor.
As Adams called for additional help and began a pursuit, the vehicle got off the highway and headed up Michigan Road at a high rate of speed and running stoplights.
Adams and Taylor removed themselves from the pursuit as police in marked cars got involved. The pursuit was called off at 6:10 p.m,, according to the IMPD report.
Six minutes later, an officer saw the Toyota pull into the back of a business at 62nd Street and Michigan Road. The driver jumped out of the car and was ordered by the officer to stop. Instead, the suspect ran with the officer right behind. Initial information indicates the officer used his taser, at which time there was an exchange of gunfire between the suspect and the officer. The suspect was struck by the gunfire and died at the scene. The officer was not wounded.
The officer has been placed on administrative leave while the incident is reviewed. His name has not been released.
The man who died has been identified by the Marion County Coroner as Dreasjon Reed, 21.
The shooting is being investigated by IMPD’s Critical Incident Response Team, IMPD’s Internal Affairs Unit, and the department's Firearms Review Board. The Marion County Prosecutor's Office will also be involved.
Summary from IMPD
IMPD released the following summary of the incident Thursday evening. The information in the summary was derived from the police computer dispatch system.
- On May 6, 2020 at approximately 6:00 p.m. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Deputy Chief Kendale Adams was traveling northbound on Interstate 65 at West 30th Street when he observed a vehicle, described as a grey Toyota Corolla with four doors, driving recklessly. The vehicle had almost struck other vehicles while it exited the interstate. Deputy Chief Adams was in an unmarked police vehicle and Chief Randal Taylor was in a separate vehicle directly behind Deputy Chief Adams. Both Chief Taylor and Deputy Chief Adams were in uniform.
- Deputy Chief Adams asked for other officers’ assistance as he began a pursuit on the vehicle. Chief Taylor continued to assist Deputy Chief Adams. The vehicle continued driving at a high rate of speed and disobeying all traffic signals.
- As marked cars arrived in the pursuit, Chief Taylor and Major Adams removed themselves from the pursuit as is standard procedure. At 6:10 p.m. the pursuit was terminated by the Sergeant monitoring the pursuit. Officers immediately backed away from the vehicle and disengaged their emergency equipment.
- Just before 6:16 p.m. a Northwest district officer observed the grey Toyota Corolla pull into the rear of a business in the 6200 block of Michigan Road. The driver then jumped out of the vehicle disregarding the officers verbal commands to stop. A short foot pursuit occurred east bound from the location. Initial information indicates the officer deployed his taser. It appears the taser was ineffective, and an exchange of gunfire between the driver and the officer followed. The driver was struck by the gunfire.
- The officer was not hurt in this exchange; however, the driver, later identified as Dreasjon Reed, was pronounced deceased on the scene.
- Officers located a firearm near Mr. Reed at the scene, which was collected as evidence. The distinctive appearance of the firearm matched one Mr. Reed had been seen posing with on social media.
- Ballistic evidence recovered from the scene initially indicate that shots were fired from both the officer’s weapon and Mr. Reed’s weapon. Details will be confirmed as the evidence is tested by the Marion County Forensic Services Agency.
- The IMPD Critical Incident Response Team is handling the criminal investigation. The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office (MCPO) was also on the scene.
- An Internal Affairs investigation is also ongoing.
- The officer is currently off work on administrative leave as is standard procedure in these types of incidents.
