Elkhart Man Arrested After Injuring Trooper During Fort Wayne Protest
Press Release
FORT WAYNE — On Saturday, May 30, during a protest in downtown Fort Wayne, an Indiana State Trooper was injured by a man who deployed an explosive device against officers.
The explosion that resulted caused serious bodily injury to the trooper, who was taken to a local hospital for medical treatment. The trooper was treated and released later that night, and has since been able to return to duty.
At the time of the incident, officers were not able to make an immediate apprehension of the suspect protestor, according to a news release from ISP.
Thanks to the hard work and cooperative effort of detectives from the Indiana State Police, Fort Wayne Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives Task Force, that the suspect was identified as Juan Pablo Gonzalez, 43, Elkhart.
Shortly before 6 p.m. Saturday, June 6, FWPD officers saw Gonzalez walking along Clinton Street near Friemann Square, again participating in the downtown Fort Wayne area protests. Recognizing Gonzalez as the suspect in the earlier officer assault, FWPD officers quickly detained Gonzalez without incident. He was taken in for an interview with detectives handling the investigation and then was taken to the Allen County Jail.
Gonzalez is charged with possession of a destructive device to kill or intimidate, a level 2 felony; possession of a destructive device and battery committed with a deadly weapon, both level 5 felonies; battery against a public safety official, a level 6 felony; and disorderly conduct and rioting, both class B misdemeanors.