Michael Kline

NORTH MANCHESTER — The Indiana State Police, at the request of the North Manchester Police Department, is investigating a police-involved shooting in which a North Manchester man died.

The ongoing investigation by Indiana State Police Detective Michelle Jumper and Indiana State Police Detective Wendell Beachy revealed that at approximately 5:58 p.m. on March 6, North Manchester Police Officer Parker Stouffer initiated a traffic stop on a Chevrolet pickup truck for failure to properly signal a turn.

The truck’s driver, Michael Kline, 40, North Manchester, stopped the truck in the parking lot of a business at 1601 State Road 114. Evidence indicates that at some point during the traffic stop, Kline exited the truck and pointed a nine millimeter handgun at Officer Stouffer.

Stouffer allegedly fired gunshots at Kline. Despite life saving measures by police officers and responding paramedics, Kline succumbed to injuries from a gunshot wound. No officers were injured in the incident.

During an inventory of the Chevrolet truck, officers purportedly found approximately 10 grams of methamphetamine, five grams of marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. Officer Stouffer has worked for the North Manchester Police Department since August 2016.

This is an ongoing investigation. No further information will be released at this time. Upon completion of the investigation, information will be forwarded to the Wabash County Prosecutor’s Office for review.