This archive report was first published on 7 May 2020.
On the evening of May 6, 2020, an Indianapolis police officer fatally shot a man who authorities said had fired towards the officer, in an incident that appeared to have been captured live on Facebook.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said its chief and deputy chief were driving home from work when they noticed a man driving recklessly and tried to pull him over. The man did not stop, and the officers pursued him for about 10 minutes before being called off by supervisors.
Later, another officer ran after the man after he saw him park the car behind a building housing a locksmith and flee on foot. After a short chase, the officer shot and killed him.
According to Chris Bailey, an assistant chief of police, the driver had fired first at the officer. Mr. Bailey said that the officer and the driver were the only ones at the scene during the encounter and that a gun was found near the driver.
However, a later statement from the police said there had been an “exchange of gunfire” but did not mention who fired first or whether a gun was recovered. The officer, who was not injured, had also used his stun gun, the police said.
The officer and the driver were both black, Mr. Bailey said. Neither man was immediately identified by the authorities.
By nightfall, more than 100 people had gathered near the scene in northwest Indianapolis, some of whom chanted “No justice, no peace,” according to The Indianapolis Star.
