Body camera video captured in officer-involved shooting will be analyzed
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Two IMPD officers are on administrative leave following an officer-involved shooting that killed a 35-year-old Indianapolis man.
Chief Rick Hite held a press conference Monday evening to address the media about the investigation. See the full press conference below.
(REPORT CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO)
Hite says the second officer that arrived on scene was wearing a body camera and a witness also recorded parts of the incident on camera.
Both videos are being sent and will be analyzed by Marion County Prosecutor’s Office and the Indiana State Police Grand Jury.
Police say this all started at the corner of 31st Street and Sherman Avenue when an officer pulled over a car for a traffic stop.
The officer approached the passenger side of the car and asked the female driver and male passenger for identification. The male passenger was identified as Mack Long, 35.
The officer told investigators Long kept moving around and would not comply with his orders. Shortly after, he bolted out of the driver side.
“We do not know why Mr. Long exited the vehicle the way he did. We don’t know why as a convicted felon he was armed. We don’t know why he even ran from the police officers, who did not fire his weapon while he was chasing him,” said Hite.
The officer chased him into the 3800 block of East 31st Street.
“As the officer is pointing his weapon at Mr. Long, he’s telling him to get on the ground. He does not comply again,” said Sgt. Ricks. “He turns his gun side away from the officer and at that point the officer fired his service weapon and hit the person in the side chest area.”
Police say there was a struggle between the officer and Long.
“Mr. Long goes over the fence, the officer then pursued up to the fence. Mr. Long then jumps up then a struggle begins with his gun,” said Sgt. Columbus Ricks, IMPD. “Some point during the struggle, the ammo magazine is lodge from the officer’s service weapon leaving him with one round in the chamber of the gun. During the struggle, another shot was fired at that point.”
Backup was called and the second officer arrived on scene.
“He sees the officer lying across the fence his feet off the ground his hands out of reach and he’s in a struggle for his gun,” said Sgt. Ricks. “He yells at the officer ‘I’m here! I’m here!’ The officer then says he has my gun as he came up.”
Police say in total four shots were fired. They say Long was shot three times: once in the left side area, once in the upper chest, and once in the forearm.
Investigators say Long was armed with a 9mm handgun and had three magazines on him. One of the officers was grazed by a bullet and the second was not injured.
As for the two officers, IMPD identified them as Kyle Flynn and Jered Hidlebaugh. Both have five years of experience with IMPD and are assigned to the north district.
