INDIANAPOLIS — IMPD said one suspect is dead and another is in custody after two officers were shot Thursday afternoon on the city's east side.
Friday morning, the Marion County Coroner's Office identified the deceased suspect as 46-year-old Daniel Yefter Ghebrehiwet.
The IMPD officers shot during the incident have both been released from the hospital.
Police said the incident started during an Indiana Crime Guns Task Force firearms investigation involving IMPD and the Lawrence Police Department.
As police attempted to pull Ghebrehiwet's car over around 12:40 p.m. in the area of 30th Street and North Post Road, a short chase began.
Police said there were multiple attempts to stop the chase by spinning out the suspect's car, which were unsuccessful.
According to police, Ghebrehiwet's car reached a dead-end in a business' parking lot and continued into a grassy area behind houses before coming to a stop due to terrain.
After the police chase ended, IMPD confirmed Ghebrehiwet and four IMPD officers shot at each other.
Police said the two officers who were shot were taken by fellow officers to Eskenazi Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Both officers are said to be in stable condition at this time.
According to police, Ghebrehiwet was pronounced dead at the scene. Police said an AR-15-style rifle was found near the suspect.
Indiana Department of Correction records show Ghebrehiwet was convicted of carrying a handgun without a license in 2000 and 2006, as well as another handgun violation in 2017.
Police said another suspect, who was the passenger in the suspect's car, ran but was taken into custody a short time later. The passenger was identified as 31-year-old Darnell Harmon. Harmon was placed under arrest for an unrelated narcotics warrant out of Marion County.
According to police, an IMPD car at the scene had multiple bullet holes in the hood, side of the car, and back and front windshields.
"(Police officers) don’t deserve to be targeted," IMPD Assistant Chief of Police Chris Bailey said. "Our officers have a mission to stop violent crime, (and) we need help. The community needs to hold themselves accountable."
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett and IMPD Chief Randal Taylor spoke outside Eskenazi Hospital Thursday afternoon.
"(The injured officers) deserve our praise, our prayers, and I hope Indianapolis will wrap their families and the IMPD family as a whole in their arms this evening," Hogsett said. "Each and every officer within IMPD does the same thing every single day. They make the choice when they are entering training, they pledge it when they are sworn in, and they choose that risk when they go to work every day."
"When I get these calls that says we've had an officer-involved shooting, my heart sinks because I don't know what's coming next," Taylor said. "This happens far too often, to be quite honest — actually, it happens far too often when I get a message about a citizen in our community."
“I’m glad our officers are going to make it. It’s unfortunate that someone chose to fire rounds at our officers and has lost their life in that process," Taylor said. "But as a community, I echo what the mayor says, we have two heroes that are still here at the hospital and met gunfire in what is believed to be a high-powered rifle and still ran toward the danger.”
Portions of Post Road and East 30th Street were closed for several hours Thursday but have since reopened.
A spokesperson with Warren Township Schools said the district was on a secure hold holding the incident, and parents were notified.
Indy FOP President Rick Snyder shared a statement with 13News that reads, in part:
"Today we are reminded once again, what is put to risk each time the women and men of law enforcement put on their badge and step forward to stand the line on behalf of the communities they serve."
The officers involved in the incident were wearing body cameras which were activated at the time.
The IMPD Critical Incident Response Team responded to the scene to begin an investigation, and a separate administrative investigation is being conducted by IMPD Internal Affairs, police said.
The officers who fired their guns have been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure.
The civilian-majority Use of Force Review Board will conduct a mandatory hearing after the criminal process concludes.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact Det. Sgt. Mark Prater at the IMPD Homicide Office by calling 317-327-3475. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477.