VIDEO: Prosecutor Rules Officer’s Shooting Of Domestic Violence Suspect Was Justified

Elwood, IN – Authorities released bodycam video last week of the officer-involved shooting of a domestic battery suspect in Indiana in early June.

The incident occurred at about 6:30 p.m. on June 9 after Elwood police officers tracked a domestic violence suspect to a parking lot near a wooded area where he had been hiding from law enforcement, WXIN reported.

Court filings showed that police were looking for 26-year-old Dakota McCreary because entered his ex-girlfriend’s residence without her permission and stole her dog.

Then he returned to the former girlfriend’s apartment and lay in wait for her, WXIN reported.

When the ex-girlfriend arrived home, McCreary told her that he’d taken her dog and would return the pet to her unharmed if she spoke to him, according to police.

Court records showed that she refused to talk to McCreary and he allegedly started beating on her, WXIN reported.

Then he fled into the woods before police arrived on the scene.

Bodycam video showed officers yelling at McCreary to come out from the building that he was hiding behind, WXIN reported.

But once McCreary stepped into the officers’ line of vision, the video showed they quickly took cover behind their vehicles with weapons drawn because they could see something that looked like a weapon in his hand.

In the video, Elwood Police Patrolman Keegan Russell told a rookie he was training to take cover behind their car, WXIN reported.

“Drop it,” Patrolman Russell yelled at McCreary in the video. “Do it now.”

Indiana State Police (ISP) said McCreary failed to comply with police commands, WXIN reported.

“What do you have? Put it down,” an officer told McCreary in the bodycam.

“No! F-k you,” McCreary yelled at the officers. “F-k you.”

The video showed Patrolman Russell told McCreary to drop whatever was in his hand at least four more times before he fired on the suspect two times, WXIN reported.

ISP Sergeant Scott Keegan said the suspect was shot at least once.

Bodycam video showed the officers called for a drone to help them determine if McCreary had a weapon laying next to him, and carefully approached the downed suspect.

McCreary was airlifted to Ascension St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis for treatment, WRTV reported.

He was charged with burglary, criminal confinement, domestic battery resulting in moderate bodily injury, and theft on June 12.

Prosecuting attorneys quickly ruled that Patrolman Russell’s use of deadly force was justified, WRTV reported.

“Officer Russell gave eight separate verbal commands for McCreary to drop the weapon and he refused to comply with the officer’s lawful orders and continued advancing at officers while pointing the weapon,” the prosecutor wrote in a statement.

Watch the incident unfold in the video below:

#IN
“Body-worn camera footage released Tuesday by the Elwood Police Department shows the moments leading up to when an officer fired his rifle at a domestic battery suspect last week.” pic.twitter.com/TLNWmZdMdT

— Shane B. Murphy (@shanermurph) June 13, 2023