Suspect who died after hourslong standoff ID’d

UPDATE: The Marion County Coroner’s Office has identified the man who died after an hourslong standoff with police Saturday night as 35-year-old Grant King.

King died after he was shot multiple times.

No other additional details were released.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A man exchanged gunfire with police officers twice during an hourslong standoff that ended in his death at a home on the east side.

In all, five police officers fired their weapons during the incident. Gunfire from the man struck at least three nearby homes, including one where a 21-month-old child was sleeping with her grandmother. His gunfire also struck a nearby tree where officers had taken cover and later the shield of a SWAT officer, according to an incident summary released Sunday afternoon.

It started at 11:43 p.m. Saturday, when a woman called police to report that her nephew had a gun, was on the porch and was intoxicated at a home in the 3600 block of North Parker Avenue. That’s south of 38th Street between Keystone Avenue and Sherman Drive on the east side.

Two officers arrived at the home in full uniform and in marked vehicles, according to the department. Those officers then called for back-up. After that, officers said the man shot at officers, and one officer returned fire. The man retreated into the home at that point, and police said it was unclear whether he had been struck by the officer’s gunfire. No officers were injured, according to the summary.

Following the first exchange of gunfire, police set up a perimeter and SWAT arrived and began making announcements over a loud speaker in an attempt to contact the man. Negotiators spent about two hours talking to the man by phone before he ceased all communication with them. At that point, SWAT and officers continued to try to get in touch with the man, then introduced chemical agents, the department said.

After the chemical agents were deployed, police feared the man was injured and went into the home to find him. That’s when they say the man and officers once again exchanged gunfire. The man was struck, and medical personnel within the SWAT unit provided him with emergency medical care before he was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead, the summary said.

IMPD said no officers were injured and that at this time, there is no threat to neighbors in the area.

Evidence recovered at the scene indicates both officers and the man fired shots. According to the department, an initial responding officer fired shots, as well as four members of SWAT. The officers are off work and have been placed on administrative leave while the incident is investigated.

The IMPD Critical Response Team will handle the criminal investigation of the shooting, along with the Marion County Forensic Services Agency and the Marion County Coroner’s Office. IMPD Internal Affairs will conduct a parallel investigation. The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office will review the case and make a charging decision.

After those investigations, the Firearms Review Board will review the evidence and make a recommendation to Chief Randal Taylor regarding whether the officers acted within the parameters of department policy.

Summary of the incident from IMPD:

• On July 18^th, 2020, at approximately 11:43 p.m., Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) North District officers were called to 3617 N. Parker Avenue on a report of a domestic/family disturbance involving a weapon, between a woman and her nephew. The woman stated that her nephew had a gun, was on the porch and was intoxicated. 
• At approximately 11:47 p.m., two IMPD officers arrived on scene at 3617 N. Parker Avenue. Both were in full IMPD uniform and drove fully-marked police vehicles. 
• On-scene IMPD officers called for back-up officers to assist them with this run. 
• Shortly after arrival on-scene, officers advised that they had been involved in an officer involved shooting with the subject (Person #1). Person #1 shot at officers and one officer returned fire. Person #1 then retreated into the home.  
• It was unclear at that time if he was struck by gunfire from IMPD officers. 
• No IMPD officers were injured. 
• Due to Person #1’s firing, at least three nearby homes were struck (photo attached). Person #1’s bullets narrowly missed the occupants of one of the homes. The home was occupied by a 21-month-old child sleeping with her grandmother.
• One of Person #1’s rounds also hit a tree where one of the first arriving officers took cover. (see attached photo) 
• Responding officers immediately set up a perimeter around the home. 
• IMPD SWAT members arrived and relieved officers on the perimeter. They immediately began making announcements over the PA system and attempting to contact Person #1.  
• IMPD negotiators communicated with Person #1 via telephone for approximately 2 hours.
• After several hours of negotiation, Person #1 ceased all communication with IMPD negotiators.  
• The decision was made for IMPD SWAT to introduce chemical agents inside the home.  
• IMPD SWAT and negotiators continued to attempt to contact Person #1, with no success. 
• After getting no response from Person #1 after chemical agents were introduced and fearing that Person #1 was injured, IMPD SWAT entered the home to locate Person #1. Shortly after entry, officers encountered Person #1 and shots were exchanged (photo of SWAT officer shield sustaining gunfire attached). 
• After shots were exchanged, it was determined Person #1 was struck by gunfire. Medics embedded with the IMPD SWAT Team provided initial care and he was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased.  
• Ballistic evidence recovered from the scene initially indicate that shots were fired from both the subject’s weapon and the officer’s weapon. Details will be confirmed as the evidence is tested by the Marion County Forensic Services Agency. 
• The officers are currently off work on administrative leave as is standard procedure in these incidents. 
• A total of five IMPD officers fired their weapons, one was the initial officer and the other four are members of the SWAT Team. 
• The IMPD Critical Response Team is handling the criminal investigation, with the assistance of the Marion County Forensic Services Agency and the Marion County Coroner’s Office. The IMPD Internal Affairs Unit is conducting a parallel investigation. The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office will review the case and make a charging decision. At the conclusion of the criminal and internal investigation, the Firearms Review Board will review the evidence and make a recommendation to the Chief concerning whether the officers acted within department policy parameters. Any disciplinary action will have the oversight of the Civilian Police Merit Board.