Suspect killed after leading police on pursuit
LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI/WISH) – UPDATE: Police on Friday identified the suspect who was shot and killed in a shoot out with police as Don Oneal Smith, 29. Smith is from the South Bend/Elkhart area.
The troopers involved were Weslee Ennis and Rick Hudson. The officers involved from other agencies were not named as of Friday afternoon.The original story follows below:
A robbery suspect from Illinois is dead after they caused a high-speed police chase in White County Thursday evening, later involving gunfire.
Authorities from the Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office confirmed to our sister station WLFI that deputies from the White County Sheriff’s Office were in pursuit for what officers said was an armed robbery suspect from Illinois.
According to Indiana State Police Sgt. Kim Riley, the incident started in Watseka where that suspect stole a Napa Auto Truck from a woman delivery driver. The suspect took the woman hostage and continued into Indiana.
Lafayette police were called around 5:30 p.m. to a report of an armed robbery at the Advance America on Elmwood Avenue. Officers said a man displayed a gun during the robbery. He then jumped in the NAPA truck with another person, who police believe was the hostage.
Police say the man was a Hispanic male that was five feet five inches tall. The getaway vehicle was later seen by police on North Ninth Street where a police pursuit began. Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Department officers and ISP pursued the suspect.
LPD said the pursuit went through Battle Ground and into Brookston. Police were able to stop the vehicle with stop sticks, but the suspect got out and stole a gray SUV. The chase ended about a half mile away in Monon when the suspect crashed into another vehicle.
Police say he was getting out of the SUV when he pointed the gun at the officers.
An ISP officer and two county officers were involved in a shoot out. No officers were injured, but the suspect was killed.
The hostage was taken to IU Health White Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. There are reports that another person was injured in the town of Monon during the incident.
