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By Kevin O’Neal
The Indiana Star
INDIANAPOLIS — A 29-year-old Indianapolis police officer was shot in the head and clinging to life late Thursday after a gunbattle on the Eastside that also wounded the suspect -- a man police believe killed a 69-year-old retiree earlier this week.
The officer, Jason A. Fishburn, and the suspect, whose name was not released by police, were taken to Wishard Memorial Hospital.
Indianapolis Police Chief Michael Spears called Fishburn a hero and asked the community to pray for him.
He said Fishburn suffered a “devastating’’ gunshot wound to the head and was in surgery for several hours after the shooting, which occurred at about 7:20 p.m. Spears said doctors tried to relieve swelling on Fishburn’s brain. He said the officer also was shot in the torso but that his bullet-proof vest took the brunt of that shot.
Fishburn, a five-year veteran of the department, is married and comes from a law enforcement family, the chief said. His father is an Indianapolis police officer, and his uncle is a retired U.S. marshal, Spears said.
“Officer Fishburn is our hero. Officer Fishburn was out here doing everything that the citizens of this city want from their Police Department,’' Spears said at a news conference at Wishard. He was joined by Mayor Greg Ballard.
Spears said the suspect, a 36-year-old man, suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder. That injury did not appear to be life-threatening.
Spears said he was wanted in connection with the killing of Clifford Haddix, 69, 3000 block of Newton Avenue, who was slain in his home Sunday.
Sgt. Paul Thompson, a spokesman for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, said undercover officers were tracking the man, who also was wanted on several forgery warrants.
The man was in a van driven by a woman that was spotted in the 1400 block of Bosart Avenue, Thompson said. Undercover officers called for backup by uniformed officers, and shortly thereafter, the confrontation occurred.
The van stopped in the parking lot of the Kroger grocery store in the Linwood Square shopping center, 4445 E. 10th St., and the suspect got out and fled, Thompson said.
Police chased him on foot south and then southeast, down Linwood Avenue, through the Linwood Court Apartments and toward Euclid Avenue. Gunfire was exchanged behind the apartments, Thompson said.
After the gunfire, officers realized one of their own was missing. Fishburn was found shot nearby.
“I’m so proud of him,’' Spears said at the hospital news conference. “Please pray for officer Jason Fishburn.’'
Those gathered for the opening service of Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration at Light of the World Christian Church on Thursday did just that after they learned of the shooting from Ballard.
“It doesn’t look good,” Ballard told them.
At 7:21 p.m., police radio traffic signaled “shots fired.’' At 7:22 p.m., an officer radioed in: “Control, start up a medic,’' using a number identification for a police officer.
Police radio traffic also indicated a squad car was dispatched to pick up the officer’s wife at a Southside restaurant, and members of the Police Officer Support Team, which provides counseling and support for officers involved in shootings or other crises, were summoned to the shooting scene.
At least four or five yellow evidence markers were placed in the street in the 800 block of Euclid -- the scene of the shooting. The markers typically are used to indicate the locations of shell casings.
Several dozen marked squad cars, some with emergency lights flashing, clogged the area. Yellow crime scene tape was up in the immediate area of the shootings, and patrol cars blocked several nearby intersections.
William Spurlin, 56, was in the back of his house in the 800 block of North Linwood Avenue, one block east of Euclid, when he heard six to eight shots.
“The first couple went pop, pop,’' he said. “And then it was real rapid fire.’'
Allan Lowe, 42, was sitting on his front porch at the intersection of Linwood Avenue and St. Clair Street when he saw police cars with emergency lights flashing and chasing a white van.
Moments later, he saw a man run through an apartment complex and into an alley. Then he heard gunfire.
“I just told my landlord this afternoon that I’m going to move, and then this happens,” said Lowe, who has lived in the neighborhood for a little more than a year.
“We’ve had our share of things going on, but nothing like this.”
Speaking at Wishard after the church service, Ballard underscored the dangers of police work and urged the community to appreciate the sacrifices officers make.
“This is not just a 9-to-5 job,’' he said. “This is important work protecting all of us.”
UPDATE: Vigil, fund, blood drive to aid officer
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police offered three ways for Indianapolis residents to assist the family of a police officer critically wounded while pursuing a murder suspect.
There will be a prayer vigil for Patrolman Jason Fishburn at 4 p.m. Saturday at West 10th Street and Indiana Avenue. Parking is available in the old YMCA lot.
A fund has been established for Fishburn and his family at the Professional Police Officer’s Credit Union, 1502 E. Washington Street.
A blood drive will be held today until 4 p.m. today and from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Indiana Regional Blood Center, 3450 N. Meridian Street.
Copyright 2008 The Indiana Star