INDIANAPOLIS — An IMPD SWAT standoff ended Sunday morning when officers and the suspect exchanged gunfire. The man who stopped negotiating with police was shot and taken to the hospital in critical condition, where he later died.
No officers were injured.
The standoff began around 11:43 p.m. Saturday when police were called on a reported domestic case involving a weapon between a woman and her nephew on Parker Avenue north of East 36th Street.
When police arrived, they say the man shot at them from outside the house, they shot back, and the man went back into the house. It was unclear at that time if he was struck by gunfire from IMPD officers.
The SWAT team and negotiator were called.
Police say the man, who was later identified as 35-year-old Grant King, stopped communicating with officers after several hours. After tear gas was used to try to get the man to give up, the SWAT team decided to go into the house, fearing the suspect had on-going medical concerns.
King began shooting again, according to police, and was shot when SWAT team members returned fire.
Police say that due to the King's firing, at least three nearby homes were struck and the bullets narrowly missed a person inside of one of the homes. The home was occupied by a 21-month-old child sleeping with her grandmother, according to police.
One of King's rounds also hit a tree where one of the first arriving officers took cover.
Evidence recovered from the scene indicate that shots were fired from both the man's weapon and the officer’s weapon.
Authorities say a total of five IMPD officers fired their weapons, one was the initial officer and the other four are members of the SWAT Team.
Shooting now under investigation
IMPD's Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) is investigating the shooting, and an independent internal investigation will be conducted by IMPD’s Internal Affairs Unit to ensure department policy was followed.
The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office is also involved in the investigative process with civilian oversight.
An IMPD Firearms Review Board will determine whether officers complied with department procedures, and IMPD’s Use of Force Board will also review the shooting to determine department compliance.
The officers are currently off work on administrative leave as is standard procedure in these incidents.
Anyone with information or video of the incident is urged to contact the IMPD Homicide Office at 317-327-3475 or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-TIPS. This is an active and ongoing investigation.