IMPD IDs officer shot, others who fired weapons Saturday on shooting suspect
UPDATE: Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department on Friday afternoon identified the officer who was injured in a Saturday shooting as two-year veteran Elizabeth Iversen. The officers who fired their weapons during the exchange of gunfire were identified Friday as: three-year veteran Christopher Hester, five-year veteran Brett Lauerman, seven-year veteran Keith Shelton, five-year veteran Corey Shinn, and five-year veteran Nicholas Snow.
IMPD: Man who exchanged gunfire with police shot 2 people, hit woman with car before chase
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Police on Sunday identified a 21-year-old man accused of shooting a man and woman before leading police on a chase, hitting a woman with his SUV and shooting and injuring a police officer.
Keith Allender faces preliminary charges of attempted murder (3 counts), aggravated battery, criminal recklessness and resisting law enforcement.
Detectives with Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department believe Allender shot two of his neighbors in an unprovoked attack Saturday afternoon on Kentstone Drive. A 61-year-old woman was in a car with a toddler when Allender shot her and a 38-year-old man standing outside the car. The child was unharmed, according to police, and the woman was able to drive a short distance away from the scene.
Then, police say, as a 55-year-old woman tried to help the woman who was shot, Allender intentionally struck the woman helping with his sport-utility vehicle.
Both shooting victims were taken to Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, where the woman was critically injured and the man was stable. The woman struck by the SUV was also taken to St. Vincent and was stable, police said.
According to police, Allender drove away from Kentstone Drive and fired shots about a block away, near the intersection of Rodebaugh Road and West 62nd Street, hitting three vehicles. No one was injured there, police said.
Officers found Allender when he reached 62nd and Michigan Road and attempted to detain him. At that point, he got out of the SUV, shot at two officers, hitting one police car, and drove south on Michigan Road, starting the chase, police said.
When the chase reached the area of West 30th Street and Riverside Drive, Allender stopped. That’s when he and five officers exchanged gunfire, police said.
An officer, who is a two-year veteran with IMPD was shot multiple times and taken to IU Health Methodist Hospital by another officer. She was in good condition and on Saturday evening was released from the hospital, police said.
Allender was shot, and officers rendered aid until emergency medical professionals arrived at the scene. He was taken to Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital in critical condition, police said.
Police said they recovered a handgun from Allender at the scene and that he has a valid handgun permit.
Multiple officers’ body-worn cameras were activated during the incident, along with at least one vehicle dash camera, IMPD said.
The five officers who fired their weapons are on administrative leave, which is standard procedure in police shootings. IMPD on Sunday had not named the officers involved.
On Saturday, May 29, 2021, at approximately 3:50 pm, an officer with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) was shot during an incident that included an officer-involved shooting in the 1600 block of W. 30th Street. The information provided is preliminary and subject to change. (Content was gathered from the police CAD and the preliminary investigation)
- At approximately 3:40 pm, IMPD Northwest District officers responded to the 6400 block of Kentstone Drive on a report of two people shot. Upon arrival, officers located two victims with injuries consistent with gunshot wounds. Officers provided medical treatment to the victims on the scene. Both victims were transported to St. Vincent Hospital. One of the victims, a 61-year-old female, was in critical condition and the other, a 38-year-old male, was in stable condition.
- Based upon evidence currently available, detectives believe the alleged suspect, 21-year-old Keith Allender, is the victims’ neighbor. At this time detectives believe Allender shot the female victim who was inside a vehicle. A toddler was also inside the vehicle at the time of the incident, but was unharmed. Allender also shot the male victim who was outside of the vehicle. The shooting was seemingly unprovoked and no disturbance preceded the shooting. The female shooting victim was able to drive a short distance away.
- Detectives learned a 55-year-old female attempted to provide assistance to the female shooting victim and was allegedly intentionally struck by Allender driving the SUV. She was later transported to St. Vincent Hospital and was in stable condition.
- Allender then left the scene in a SUV.
- Detectives believe Allender fired shots at and struck three civilian vehicles in the area of 3500 W. 62nd Street while driving. Nobody was injured at that location.
- Officers located Allender at approximately 3:44 pm driving the SUV near W. 62nd Street and North Michigan Road and attempted to detain him. Allender allegedly exited his vehicle, fired shots at two officers, striking one officer’s vehicle, and then proceeded southbound on Michigan Road. Allender fled from officers in the vehicle and officers engaged in a vehicle pursuit.
- Allender drove southbound on Michigan Road (then Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard), westbound on W. 30th Street, and stopped in the 1600 block of W. 30th Street at approximately 3:50 pm.
- It is believed five officers and the alleged suspect then exchanged gunfire. (Photo 1)
- One officer, a two-year veteran, was shot multiple times and was transported by another officer to Methodist Hospital in good condition. She has since been released from the hospital.
- Allender, was also shot. Officers provided medical treatment to Allender until IEMS arrived and transported him to Eskenazi Hospital. He is listed in critical condition. A handgun was recovered at the scene from Allender. (Photo 2)
- Allender has a valid handgun permit.
- Allender was placed under arrest with preliminary charges of attempted murder (3 counts), aggravated battery, criminal recklessness, and resisting law enforcement. Allender is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office will make the final charging decision.
- Multiple officers had body-worn cameras which were activated at the time of the incident. There was also at least one vehicle dash camera that was activated during the incident.
- IMPD’s Victim’s Assistance Unit and Chaplain’s Office responded to the scene to provide resources for victims and their families.
- The IMPD Critical Incident Response Team responded to the scene to conduct the criminal investigation. The Indianapolis-Marion County Forensic Services Agency is assisting with this investigation.
- The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office responded to the scene and is being consulted throughout the investigation.
- The Police Officer Support Team (POST) responded to provide peer support for officers.
A separate administrative investigation is being conducted by IMPD Internal Affairs. The officers who fired their guns have been placed on administrative leave as is standard practice in an officer involved shooting investigation.
