Indiana police: Man throwing knives at officers dies in Grant County police shooting

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana State Police says a man was shot and killed by police Wednesday evening in Grant County.

Police were called around 7:40 p.m. Wednesday to Howard Street and Washington Street in the small community of Sims, about 10 miles west of Marion, for a man “wearing a Carhartt jacket and armed with a pellet gun threatening to shoot a car,” state police said in a news release issued Thursday.

An officer from the nearby Swayzee Police Department arrived at the scene and found the suspect, identified by police as 27-year-old Brandon T. Decker, of Sims.

Decker was wearing a Carhartt jacket and was holding “what appeared to be a rifle,” state police said.

The Swayzee officer called for backup and a Grant County sheriff’s deputy arrived minutes later.

“An attempt was made to place Decker into custody; however, Decker pulled his hands out of his pockets and brandished a knife,” state police said.

The Grant County deputy tried to use his taser on Decker, but it was ineffective.

Decker “began throwing knives in the direction of the officers,” state police say, and the sheriff’s deputy responded with gunfire.

Decker was wounded and died at the scene.

No officers or citizens were injured.

The Grant County deputy involved in the shooting, whose name was not shared by state police, will be placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

Once the state police investigation is complete, the findings will be submitted to the Grant County Prosecutor’s Office.