31-year-old man hurt in shootout with officer after traffic stop

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A 31-year-old man was injured early Saturday morning in a shootout with a police officer at a shopping center on the city’s west side.

An Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer just after 2 a.m. Saturday made a traffic stop in the 5100 block of West Washington Street. Wayne Township Fire Department medics were called to the same location minutes later.

The man shot was briefly hospitalized after the shooting, and later was arrested on three preliminary charges: possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, residential entry, and resisting law enforcement. Police have not named the suspect or the officer.

No police officers were injured.

IMPD investigators believe the man was one of several occupants in the stopped vehicle. They think he ran from the traffic stop, and the officer pursued the man on foot and struck him at least once with a bullet.

The IMPD Critical Incident Response Team set up its mobile unit in the Westgate Plaza shopping center parking lot. Police tape across the parking lot indicated that’s where the officer may have pursued the man who left the vehicle stopped by the police officer. A firearm was recovered from the area.

The officer was wearing a body camera, which was active during the incident, IMPD said; police have not yet released images from the camera. The officer was placed on administrative leave, a standard practice after an officer fires a gun.

The officer made the traffic stop in a marked police vehicle and in full uniform, an IMPD news release said.

The city’s new Use of Force Review Board will conduct a hearing as required when deadly force is used. No information was immediately available on how soon that hearing to review the officer’s actions might happen.

IMPD says the incident is believed to be an isolated case, and no threat to the public is believed to exist.

Anyone with information was asked to call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana anonymously at 317-262-8477.

Police on Saturday evening provided a summary of the incident:

• On January 30, 2021 at approximately 2:00 a.m., an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) officer was in a marked police vehicle and in full police uniform when he conducted a traffic stop in the 5100 block of W. Washington Street. The vehicle pulled into the Kroger parking lot (Photo #1).  Based on the initial investigation, detectives believe the sole passenger of the stopped vehicle, 31-year-old white male, Denny Mattingly, ran westbound from the traffic stop behind other businesses and was pursued by the officer on foot.
• Shortly after the pursuit began shots were fired by the Mattingly and the officer resulting in Mattingly being struck at least one time.
• The officer was equipped with a body-worn camera (BWC) system and a holster sensor which marked the time when the officer drew his gun from the holster.  The BWC was activated during this incident.
• Once the officer’s back-up arrived, medical aid was rendered to Mattingly. Mattingly was transported by IEMS to an area hospital where he was listed in stable condition. The officer was not injured.
• The female driver was detained and did not resist officers. She was interviewed and released.
• Detectives have recovered a firearm at the apprehension site (see Photo #2 and Photo #3).  Mattingly had an active warrant for violation of community correction with original charges of possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, residential entry, and resisting law enforcement.
• Detectives also recovered a cell phone that had open at the time a phone application monitoring IMPD radio traffic.
• Mattingly was released from the hospital. He was arrested for his warrant as well as for preliminary outright charges of possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon and attempted battery with a deadly weapon. 
• The IMPD Critical Incident Response Team responded to the scene to conduct the criminal investigation. The Marion County Prosecutor’s Office is engaged with the ongoing criminal investigation and will make a charging determination. A separate administrative investigation is being conducted by the IMPD Internal Affairs.
• The officer who fired his weapon is on administrative leave as is standard procedure in these incidents.
• Detectives continue to canvass the area for witnesses and other evidence. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 317-262-TIPS.