State police ID officers in fatal shooting at 40th Street and Keystone Avenue
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An Indiana State Police trooper and two Indianapolis police officers were identified Tuesday as being a part of a police shooting on Sept. 26.
The state trooper was identified as Trooper Christopher Stout, a six-year veteran who was assigned to the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force in Indianapolis.
The officers and their time with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department were Officer Jai’dion Broader, nine years, and Officer Matthew Harris, six years.
All three officers have been placed on administrative leave.
The man who died was identified as Darmon Graves Jr., 42, of Indianapolis. Graves was pronounced dead at the scene. No officers were injured.
Indiana State Police said in a release Tuesday that Graves was wanted for questioning regarding an arson investigation from Sept. 25 in the 8200 block of Crousore Road.
During the arson investigation, officers learned that Graves had pointed a gun at a woman and also threatened to have a shootout with police if they came after him. Investigators knew prior that Graves was a serious violent felon and legally could not own a firearm.
Detectives with the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force then began investigating Graves.
On Sept. 26, around 4:40 p.m., Indiana Crime Guns Task Force officers were conducting their investigation into Graves when they located him as a passenger in a vehicle stopped at East 40th Street and North Keystone Avenue. A female was driving the vehicle.
Indianapolis medics were sent at 4:40 p.m. Tuesday to an “EMS incident” at East 40th Street and North Keystone Avenue, according to the computer-aided dispatch system. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department had been sent a few minutes earlier for an investigation at the same location.
As police set up a perimeter near the vehicle, the female driver exited safely, but Graves remained in the vehicle, police say.
The female driver was detained by officers but was released after she was interviewed by investigators, the news release said.
Police said when Graves eventually left the vehicle, he and the three police officers fired their weapons. Grave’s handgun ended up on the ground next to him.
IMPD Assistant Chief Chris Bailey said during a news conference on Sept. 26 that investigators had no idea yet how many shots were fired.
Bailey also said IMPD had planned to catch up with the man at a home but switched their plans when he left with the woman in the vehicle.
Police officers were wearing bodycams. In addition, a drone and dashcams were capturing video of the officers as they pursued the man, according to the news release.
Before Sept. 26, IMPD data shows the agency had been involved in nine police shootings in 2023. Five people died in the nine shootings. Five of the nine police shootings have happened since Aug. 3.
In 2022, Indianapolis recorded 10 police shootings in which one person died.
