IMPD: Vehicle pursuit, foot chase preceded police shooting that left 1 dead
Update: IMPD Chief Randal Taylor on Nov. 24 identified the officer who fatally shot a man in the 7500 block of Ruskin Place as 8-year veteran patrol officer Mitchel Farnsley.
Update: The man killed by police was identified as 31-year-old Leandre Krushaun Houston.
A person has died after being shot by an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police officer Friday afternoon.
The shooting occurred in the area of 38th Street and Richardt Avenue, east of the intersection of 38th and Shadeland Avenue, shortly after 5 p.m.
Minutes before 5 p.m., police attempted to conduct a traffic stop near 16th Street and Arlington Avenue. The driver, whom police identified as a 30-year-old man, was wanted on an open warrant for charges of theft, unlawful carrying of a handgun and unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle, according to IMPD Maj. Seth Ferrell.
More: The number of Indianapolis police shootings is at its highest in years. What is going on?
While the driver initially stopped, Ferrell said, he soon continued driving, and police pursued the car until the driver and a male passenger, identified Monday as Leandre Krushaun Houston, 31, got out of the car as it was moving and began running in different directions.
Officers chased Houston, who Ferrell said was seen pulling an item from his waistband. Houston jumped over a fence behind a nearby residence, Ferrell said, and at some point, an officer fired his weapon.
It remains unclear what immediately preceded the shooting.
Houston was taken to an area hospital, where he died. Ferrell said officers found a gun near Houston, but it's unknown whether it had been fired.
The driver was found a short time later, Ferrell said, and was not involved in the shooting. He has been arrested on the warrant charges as well as preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement and driving a vehicle while having never received a valid license.
The officer involved wore a body camera, Ferrell said, but the footage is obstructed by the fence. Other officers nearby were also wearing cameras but were not in the area of the shooting when it occurred.
No bystanders were injured. The officer who fired his weapon has yet to be identified by IMPD.
More: Every time Indianapolis police have shot a person so far in 2023
Police in Indianapolis have shot people 16 times so far in 2023
Friday marked the 16th time an Indianapolis police officer has shot and injured or killed someone this year.
Most recently on Nov. 10, 31-year-old Dontriell Hood was shot by an officer responding to a shots-fired call on Caroline Avenue.
Police said the officer fired because Hood was not complying with commands and attempted to retrieve his firearm after initially putting it on the ground and moving away.
Ferrell said the department is "keenly aware" of the number of police shootings the city has seen this year.
"Our officers were doing exactly what the community expects of them: tracking and apprehending violent offenders, people who traffic firearms in our city, and making our city safe for all involved," Ferrell said. "We continue to have these situations where officers are giving lawful commands for an individual to stop, and they are ignoring those commands, and unfortunately tonight a tragedy occurred and a loss of life happened."
The officer involved in the shooting has been placed on administrative leave, per IMPD policy.
John Tufts covers evening breaking and trending news for the Indianapolis Star. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis police shooting near 38th Street and Richardt Avenue
