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Suspect in Columbus officer-involved shooting dies following police shootout

GARDEN CITY, Ind. (WISH) — The suspect police say shot a Columbus police officer early Saturday has died following an exchange of gunfire with Indiana State Police.

Indiana State Police have identified Quentin Starke, 44 and from Bartholomew County, as the suspect in the early Saturday morning shooting of Columbus Police Officer Joshua McCrary.

Police say Starke shot McCrary around 4:30 a.m. when the officer attempted to pull over Starke’s vehicle during a traffic stop in Columbus in the area of 11th and Washington streets.

Following a pursuit into Bartholomew County, Starke pulled over to a gravel road in Garden City outside of a water treatment plant where he shot McCrary, a release said Saturday. McCrary, a nine-year veteran with the Columbus Police Department, did not return fire.

McCrary was treated at Columbus Regional Hospital and released.

At approximately 12:21 pm, an Indiana State Trooper searching for Starke near the location of the initial shooting located Starke hiding in the woods. Indiana State Police say Starke fired at a state trooper and missed, after which the trooper returned fire.

According to a Saturday afternoon release from ISP, Starke died as a result of the exchange of gunfire, but it’s not yet clear whether the wounds were from the state trooper’s firearm or that of Starke.

ISP says an autopsy will be performed to determine the exact cause of death and a ballistics test will be performed to determine which weapon’s bullet or bullets struck Quentin Starke.

ISP says first aid was provided when Starke was taken into custody, but Starke was pronounced dead at the scene.

The name of the state trooper involved has not yet been released.