News Release

HUNTINGTON – A man in Huntington was shot and killed in gunfire with police after he began using a backhoe to destroy public and private property early Sunday morning, Dec. 13.

A description of what happened was provided by The Indiana State Police after they were asked to investigate the officer-involved shooting.

Gunfire with police left one officer injured with non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect, who has not yet been identified, died at the scene, according to a news release from ISP.

The incident began to evolved around 3:30 a.m. when Huntington Police responded to a disturbance call in the 100 block of Shultz Drive on the city’s southwest side. Police encountered a man operating a “backhoe style piece of machinery,” actively destroying property around the neighborhood. 

Officers from Huntington Police Department and the Huntington County Sheriff’s Department became engaged in a lengthy pursuit of the suspect around the neighborhood, including near the Horace Mann Elementary and Riverside Middle School campus, where the suspect continued causing damage to private and public property. 

During the course of the pursuit, an exchange of gunfire took place, resulting in the injury of one Huntington police officer, and the death of the suspect. 

The Huntington police officer was transported by ambulance to Lutheran Hospital in Fort Wayne, where he was last listed in serious but stable condition. 

There were no other officers nor bystanders injured during the course of this shooting incident.

The Indiana State Police will not be releasing the identities of the officers involved in this incident until the Huntington County Prosecutor has reviewed the completed case investigation and subsequently authorizes the release of that information.

The identity of the deceased suspect will be released after the Huntington County Coroner’s Office has completed their portion of the investigation and made official notification to family members.

This is an active and ongoing criminal investigation by the Indiana State Police.  Once the criminal investigation is complete, the investigation will be turned over to the Huntington County Prosecutor for review and determination of charges, if any, to be filed