INDIANAPOLIS — An investigation is underway after Indianapolis metro police shot and killed a man Tuesday afternoon at an apartment complex on the city’s northeast side after responding to an active shooter situation on the northwest side.
Officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department were dispatched just after 3 p.m. to 9001 Wesleyan Road after receiving reports that there was an active shooter. The address is part of an office park. Callers had reported to dispatch that an individual had fired multiple shots outside a business in the area.
Around a minute later, officers responded to 9030 Wesleyan Road, an extended-stay hotel near the office park, for a “gunshot scene unsafe” run.
IMPD Chief Chris Bailey said officers arrived and found a woman suffering from apparent gunshot wounds who was transported to an area hospital in stable condition. Police believe the suspect knew the injured woman in what is being investigated as a domestic-related shooting.
At one point during the altercation, IMPD Chief Chris Bailey said a “good Samaritan” tried to intervene and was assaulted by the suspect and sustained “bite wounds.” The individual was transported to an area hospital in stable condition.
While officers were on scene, they were alerted to a maroon Dodge Ram pickup truck that was attempting to flee the area.
Officers tried to pull the truck over but the suspect reportedly refused to stop, initiating a vehicle pursuit. The pursuit eventually ended around 11 miles away in the 8400 block of Maple Leaf Lane, the Avery Point Apartments address.
Bailey said the suspect drove his truck into the front yard of one of the apartment complex’s buildings before he exited the vehicle and continued fleeing on foot. The suspect reportedly gained entry to one of the upstairs apartments.
Officers arrived shortly after and followed the suspect into the apartment where police observed the man reportedly holding a knife to a woman. One IMPD officer and one Lawrence police officer proceeded to discharge their weapons, fatally striking the suspect.
On Wednesday, the Marion County Coroner’s Office identified the person who died as 45-year-old Elijah Radford.
Bailey said that no officers or additional civilians were injured during the incident. The officers were equipped with body cameras that were activated during the encounter, according to Chief Bailey.
The woman who was held at knifepoint was treated on scene and released with no injuries.
Bailey said detectives believe the suspect had been staying at the apartment where he held the woman at knifepoint prior to Tuesday’s incident.
IMPD said detectives located a rifle at the original scene on Wesleyan Road and a knife inside the apartment on Maple Leaf Lane. Officers were granted a search warrant to continue combing the apartment for additional evidence as part of their investigation.
The deceased individual will be identified by the Marion County Coroner’s Office at a later time.
The IMPD Critical Incident Response team is handling the criminal investigation of the incident, while the IMPD Internal Affairs is conducting a separate administrative investigation.Lawrence police will follow the same process for its officer who fired their weapon during the counter.
The officers who discharged theirfirearms have been placed on administrative leave, as is standard procedure in an officer-involved shooting investigation.
The civilian-majority Use of Force Review Board will conduct a mandatory hearing for any attempted use of deadly force against a person.This occurs after the conclusion of the criminal process.
“We don’t want violence of any kind in our community, not like this especially. It is tragic for everyone involved in these situations,” said Bailey. “There are resources out there, we want people to reach out and do their best, if they can, to get out of certain situations. That is what it appears here is that these two had a relationship. We are lucky that she is alive over there on the northwest side.”
IMPD had initially confirmed on X around 3:47 p.m. that there was an officer-involved shooting and that no officers were injured during the incident.
“IMPD officers are on scene of an incident in the 8400 block of Maple Leaf Lane. There was an officer-involved shooting,” the social media post said. “No officers were injured.”
Bailey added that there is no threat to the public at Wesleyan Road or Maple Leaf Lane.
Officers urged the public to avoid Craig Street from 82 Street up to Fairway Avenue as detectives continue investigating.
IMPD is leading the investigation into the fatal police shooting.
This is a developing story and more information will be added as it becomes available.
