INDIANAPOLIS — Police have identified two IMPD officers who shot a man they said was a suspect in a carjacking and police chase on the northwest side of Indianapolis on March 29, IMPD said.
On April 5, IMPD Chief Randal Taylor released the identities of the officers: Officer David Yohe, a six-year veteran of the department, and five-year veteran Officer Donovan Hankins.
The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Michael Barnes, was arrested under a probation violation warrant out of Grant County. It is connected to a 2018 conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of narcotics (including methamphetamine and marijuana) and theft.
Charges Barnes could face in the Wednesday incident have not yet been established.
The incident started just after 4 p.m. with a crash at West 56th Street and Georgetown Road. That's positioned on the northwest side of the city near the intersection of 56th Street and Lafayette Road.
A passenger of one of the cars involved in that crash got out and immediately carjacked another vehicle at that intersection, IMPD officer Genae Cook said.
Witnesses alerted police. They told police the carjacked vehicle was a black four-door Impala. They were also able to give police the car's license plate number.
Cook said "within minutes" officers located the car near 62nd Street and Cooper Road and chased it.
“There was a crash that occurred at 56th and Georgetown Road. The passengers in one of those vehicles immediately got out of the vehicle and then carjacked an uninvolved vehicle at that intersection,” Cook said.
The chase ended on I-65 southbound near 38th Street and Kessler Boulevard North Drive.
As officers went onto the exit ramp, the vehicle stopped.
Cook said the driver emerged from the vehicle and turned toward officers with a gun in his hand.
“Officers stopped behind it, got out of their vehicle. At the exact same time, the driver emerged quickly from the vehicle, turning toward the officers with a gun in his hand. Two officers fired their weapons, striking the suspect,” said Cook.
IMPD said when the suspect was taken into custody, police "immediately" provided the suspect with aid.
Barnes was taken to the hospital in critical condition. By 7:30 p.m., Cook said, the Barnes' condition had stabilized.
No officers were injured in the shooting.
Cook said investigators located a gun at the scene.
She also said officers had their body-worn cameras activated when the shooting happened. IMPD claims portions of the incident were also captured on a city camera.
Cynthia Davis told 13News her car was shot at during the incident.
“I was thinking I’m going to enjoy the day. Instead, my car got a bullet in it and it kind of scared me a little bit because it could have been the gas tank. It could have been the gas tank or it could have been me,” Davis said. “It was kinda spooky, real spooky because that could have been my life right there. I could have been shot or the car could have blown up or something, it could have been anything."
A spokesperson said the officers who fired their guns have been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure in an officer-involved shooting investigation.
The department's Critical Incident Response Team responded to the scene to begin an investigation. A separate administrative probe is underway by IMPD Internal Affairs.
At the conclusion of other investigations, a civilian-majority Use of Force Review Board will conduct hearing, a process required when officers use deadly force against a person, the spokesperson said.