By Police1 Staff
INDIANAPOLIS — Following public outcry, Indianapolis police defended the fatal shooting of a man armed with a large knife, stating they employed a progressive use of force during the encounter, IndyStar reported.
Officers responded to a Dec. 12 call about a suicidal man carrying a butcher knife. They used verbal commands and less-lethal force before the fatal shooting, spokesperson Lt. Richard Riddle told the news site.
“They Tased [sic] him; they tried tackling him. They asked multiple times to put away the knife,” bystander Steven Chambers told IndyStar.
The suspect, 25-year-old Christopher Goodlow, continued to approach officers despite repeated commands to stop and drop the weapon.
“Our officers were ultimately forced to use deadly force in the incident,” Riddle told the publication. “Once the individual was on the ground, there was no additional use of force.”
After the shooting, onlookers shouted in anger at the police. Hours later, a patrol vehicle’s windshield was smashed by a witness at the scene of the shooting.
Riddle told the publication the video of the incident made it clear the officers acted properly and that knives are considered to be deadly weapons.