From the Files of the Kosciusko County Historical Society

Editor’s note: This is a retrospective article that runs a few times a month on InkFreeNews.  

Information for this retrospective series is courtesy of the Kosciusko County Historical Society.

April 2, 1975 —A wild shooting spree that began in Leesburg at approximately 6:30 this morning ended with the capture of the gunman, who had barricaded himself in the home of his parents, located southeast of Leesburg.

Paul D. Robinson, 24, was lodged in the jail following his capture.

Tay Hess, Leesburg town marshal, said he was in the house preparing to leave to escort schoolchildren across Ind. 15 when he heard a loud noise and assumed that a car had backfired.

Hess said when he went to his car, which was parked in the driveway of his home, he saw that the windshield had been shattered with pellets from a shotgun.

Hess notified county police of the shooting and they then notified state police at Ligonier.

State Trooper Michael Barnett heard the report on his car radio and sped south toward Leesburg, looking for the suspect’s blue Volkswagen car. Barnett said when he arrived at the Dytronics plant, just south of Leesburg, he saw a group of people, and suddenly a man jumped from the crowd and from about 50 feet away fired a shot into the windshield of the state police car. The man then jumped into another car and began speeding away.

Trooper Barnett gave chase and followed the man to the home of his parents. At the house, Robinson jumped out of the car and whirled around and shot at the state police car again from about 50 yards. At this point, Barnett returned the fire with his shotgun as Robinson ran for the house.

April 3, 1971 — Sun Metal Products Inc. opened its 25th year of operations with an open house for its employees, friends and relatives.

The main plant on Ind. 15N was open, as well as Plant No. 2 on Fox Farm Road. Several manufacturing operations were shown and refreshments were served.

Sun Metal started its first production line Jan. 21, 1946.

April 4, 1956 — The Fairview EUB Church and the Clifton Berry cottage were virtually demolished and six other cottages ruined when a tornado swirled through the north side of the Yellow Creek Lake resort community at 6:45 p.m. yesterday.

The church and all of the heavily damaged cottages were empty, and no one was reported injured. Damage was expected to reach several hundred thousands of dollars.

– Compiled by InkFreeNews reporter Lasca Randels