Associated Press
INDIANAPOLIS — A man holding five people hostage in an Indianapolis apartment shot and wounded three people, including a police officer, before turning the gun on himself, authorities said Thursday.
Police identified the suspect in the shooting Wednesday evening on the city’s northeast side as 32-year-old Donald Williams.
Officers were called to the apartment about 9 p.m. and tried to make contact with the people inside. As they checked outside, police said the suspect fired at officers, striking one in the leg.
The 4-year police veteran was in stable condition, police said.
A SWAT team responded and entered the apartment, where they found an 11-year-old girl and a 41-year-old woman with gunshot wounds. They were taken to hospitals and remained in critical condition Thursday afternoon, police said.
Williams was found with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police believe the shooting was sparked by a disturbance between Williams and the woman.
Williams had a gun and had been holding the two shooting victims and three young people hostage, police said. The three juveniles escaped through a window and were returned to their families.
Police said a handgun was found near Williams at the scene.
“The officers, when they get these domestic violence type of calls, they’re the most dangerous and uncertain type of call the officer can get,” Assistant Chief of Police Chris Bailey told reporters. “You also have to think and wrap our arms around the children that were able to escape. They’re traumatized.”
No officers fired their guns during the response, police said.
In a statement, Mayor Joe Hogsett said he was grateful to hear that the officer was in stable condition.
“My thoughts are with the officer and their family, as well as all of the brave IMPD officers who routinely go into harm’s way to keep our community safe,” he said. “We must do everything we can to stop the scourge of gun violence, deploying resources and uniting neighbors to halt this vicious cycle.”