Feb. 6, 2023 A Mitchell police officer was shot, and a Lawrence County sheriff’s deputy was struck twice while trying to arrest a suspect who opened fire during a traffic stop.
Source officer.com News
An Indiana sheriff’s deputy and a police officer were shot and wounded early Sunday when in a gunfight during an arrest with a suspect who was fatally shot in the exchange.
The shooting happened just after 3 a.m. when a Lawrence County deputy pulled over a car in Mitchell, WTHR-TV reports. A sheriff’s office K-9 unit was called in, and drugs were detected in the car.
While police were trying to handcuff and arrest the suspect—identified as Anthony Richmond, 29—fled authorities on foot. A struggle ensued once officers caught up with Richmond, who pulled a gun and opened firing at close range.
Deputy Joshua Rhoades was struck twice, and Mitchell Police Officer Christian Anderson was shot once. Return fire wounded Richmond, who died while being placed in an ambulance.
Rhoades and Anderson were taken to the hospital before being airlifted to another facility in Indianapolis. Rhoades, a five-year veteran with the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, was later released from the hospital, and Anderson, who has been with the department for three years, was still in the hospital in stable condition.
The Indiana State Police is investigating the shooting.
“This tragic incident underscores the dangers that law enforcement officers face each day, even in our beloved Lawrence County,” Sheriff Greg Day said in a statement. “I am extremely proud of the actions and response by officers from my office as well as our law enforcement and first responder partners. I am very thankful Deputy Rhoades and Officer Anderson will make full recoveries, and I am mindful that a family is mourning the loss of a loved one. The lives of many people were affected by a senseless criminal act. Thank you to our brave officers for their dedication and courage.”