INDIANAPOLIS — IMPD has identified the officer who fatally shot 49-year-old Gary Dwayne Harrell as he was running from police following a traffic stop on the city's near northeast side.
On Friday, Aug. 11, IMPD Chief Randal Taylor identified the officer involved as 28-year veteran Douglas Correll.
"IMPD will continue to be fair and transparent with our community while protecting the integrity of criminal investigations, and officer safety. IMPD formalized a policy in 2020 which outlines when and how officers involved in critical incidents should be identified to the public," IMPD said.
(NOTE: The video above is from the initial report of the incident involving an IMPD officer shooting a man who ran from police.)
Around 9:40 a.m. on Aug. 3, police said Correll tried to stop a car for reckless driving at East 34th Street and North Parker Avenue, near North Keystone Avenue, around 9:40 a.m. on Aug. 3.
IMPD said the driver, later identified as Harrell, got out of the car, then got back in, before getting out again and running.
According to IMPD, Correll chased after Harrell and said Harrell had a gun in his hand. During the chase, Correll fired shots, with Harrell being hit at least once.
IMPD said officers began life-saving treatment on Harrell, who was then taken to a hospital in critical condition but died from his injuries.
According to IMPD, officers found a gun near Harrell, and would only say it did not belong to IMPD or the officer who fired a shot.
Police confirmed no officers were injured or anyone else other than the suspect.
IMPD said Correll had his bodycam video recording, which will be used as part of the investigation into the shooting. The IMPD Critical Incident Response Team responded to the scene to conduct the criminal investigation.
A separate administrative investigation is being conducted by IMPD Internal Affairs.
Correll has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard protocol for officer-involved shooting investigations.
"These are tough times, and we ask that you be patient as we work through this investigation," Deputy Chief Michael Wolley said.
One day after Harrell was killed, close to 100 family and friends gathered near 34th Street and Parker Avenue to remember him. They stood near flowers, a candle and a wooden cross marking a memorial to Harrell.
No one at the balloon release wanted to give an interview. But the message on the cross speaks for many family members and friends.
Someone wrote on the cross: "Gary couldn't have outrun police on his best day. The officer chose to kill him in cold blood as he ran away in fear only to be shot in the back and killed by someone paid to serve and protect him."
The group prayed for the family and for justice before releasing balloons.
"There were some folks in the community who say the individual may have had a gun, but he was not brandishing his gun, and he was shot as he was fleeing in the back,” said Pastor Darrell Brooks, with the Black Church Coalition. “That's problematic."
Brooks said the public deserves answers now.
"I believe if an officer knows the procedures and protocols and they don't follow it, that's not a skill issue, that's a will issue, and that should be handled by leadership," Brooks said.
Harrell had a long history of traffic violations involving driving without a license or with a suspended license, or with expired plates, and driving while intoxicated. As of his death, he still owed a $277.80 in fines and court costs from being pulled over last October with no valid driver’s license and driving with expired plates.