Indianapolis News and Headlines

Actions

CALL 6: Off-duty Southport officer fires shots at car after being struck, 2 arrested

Posted at 11:10 AM, Aug 09, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-10 13:31:42-04

INDIANAPOLIS -- Two people who were in the car that struck an off-duty Southport police officer at Methodist Hospital on Indianapolis' north side Wednesday morning are in custody. 

The incident happened just before 11 a.m. in the hospital parking lot on W. 16th Street. 

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers on the scene said Southport officer was working off-duty security at Methodist Hospital when he was called to the parking lot in reference to a possible robbery suspect. 

As the officer approached the vehicle it sped away, striking him. The officer fired at least one shot at the car, hitting the windshield as it drove away. 

The officer was rushed into the hospital with non-life threatening injuries to his legs and hips. 

The car was later spotted near 46th Street and Arlington Avenue when it struck a tree. Both suspects inside the car ran. 46th Street and Arlington Avenue when it struck a tree. Both suspects inside the car ran. 

One of the suspects was hit by a car while trying to run across Arlington Avenue. He was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. 

The other suspect led police and K9 officers on a foot chase but was eventually taken into custody. That person was taken to the hospital to be treated for a dog bite. 

The two suspects have been identified as Christopher Johnson, 29, and Brandon Hayworth, 33. Both were arrested for outstanding, unrelated warrants. Charges in connection with the incident will be determined by the Marion County Prosecutor's Office. 

The Southport officer has not been identified but is a 4-year veteran with the Southport Police Department. 

Southport Police Chief Thomas Vaughn said the officer is now home recovering from the incident. 

The shooting comes on the same day that the suspect in the shooting death of Southport Lt. Aaron Allan appeared in court. 

RELATED | Jason Brown out of hospital, new mugshot released

Lt. Allan was shot multiple times while attempting to render aide to a crash victim in Homecroft late last month. He died at the hospital. 

Lt. Allan was laid to rest over the weekend at Crown Hill Cemetery. 

RELATED | In her words: Wife of Lt. Allan remembers her husband Hours before he was killed, Lt. Aaron Allan walked his son to his first day of kindergarten | Remembering Southport police Lt. Aaron Allan: A father, a husband & first to rush to those in need | Southport officer thought he was responding to a routine crash, instead he was shot to death | Who is Jason Brown? Woman who's known him his whole life says shooting suspect is 'shy & timid' | Jason Brown formally charged with murder; allegedly shot Lt. Allan 11 times, including while he was crawling away | Jason Brown's criminal history includes only 1 misdemeanor | Numbers show officer's shooting like nothing Southport has ever seen