JAY COUNTY, Ind. — The Jay County prosecutor released new information Thursday on the deadly shooting of a man March 3 by police in Dunkirk.
According to the prosecutor, Dunkirk Police Chief Dane Mumbower and Officer Erica Post were dispatched to 223 Mount Auburn Street to help a man who believed someone was trying to harm him.
While responding to the call, someone in the home called dispatchers to tell them the man who originally called was armed with two knives. The caller said Kevin Zimmerman might be suffering from some sort of mental health issue.
The prosecutor's office released the findings of the Indiana State Police investigation into the shooting. It made the following six points:
- Kevin Zimmerman refused all commands to exit the home. Chief Mumbower and Officer Post knocked on the door multiple times and announced themselves as police officers. The officers did not receive a response to a request that Kevin Zimmerman open the door. Knowing that Kevin Zimmerman was armed with two knives and not knowing the status of the safety of the other occupants of the home, the officers determined that they needed to enter the home.
- After breaching the door, Chief Mumbower, who was armed with his Taser, entered first and Officer Post followed behind with her duty weapon drawn. The officers announced themselves as police officers after entering the home and Chief Mumbower heard Kevin Zimmerman respond by saying “OK, OK, come on in”, although neither officer could see where Kevin Zimmerman was located. The officers began to command Kevin Zimmerman to come out and show his hands.
- As Chief Mumbower continued his entry into the home, he observed Kevin Zimmerman crouching down in the kitchen area of the home. Chief Mumbower made eye contact with Kevin Zimmerman and asked Kevin to come out and talk to the officers. Kevin Zimmerman then immediately leaped up from his position and came running toward Chief Mumbower with both arms raised and a knife in his hand. The knife was a large butcher knife with an 8 inch blade.
- As Chief Mumbower began to retreat, Kevin Zimmerman was on top of him. Chief Mumbower deployed his taser at Kevin and it had no effect. Kevin tackled Chief Mumbower into a corner of the room and wrapped his arms around Chief Mumbower and began striking Chief Mumbower in the back with his hands and arms. Chief Mumbower believed that he was being stabbed by the knife that he saw in Kevin’s hand.
- After knocking Chief Mumbower to the floor, Kevin Zimmerman immediately began attacking Officer Post, knocking her to the floor and began slashing at her back. At this time, both Chief Mumbower and Officer Post fired their service weapons at Kevin Zimmerman as they were in fear that their lives were in danger. Officer Post and other responding officers attempted to provide aid to Kevin Zimmerman, including CPR. Despite those efforts and those of the emergency responders, Kevin Zimmerman was pronounced deceased at the scene. The autopsy of Kevin Zimmerman found that he had been shot four times and the cause of his death was multiple gunshot wounds.
- Chief Mumbower received a deep knife wound to his hand that required medical attention. Officer Post received minor puncture wounds and small cuts and abrasions that did not require medical attention.
The prosecutor found Chief Mumbower and Officer Post were justified in using deadly force against Zimmerman.
