Brownstown police chief, assistant chief put on leave after fatal shooting

BROWNSTOWN, Ind. (WISH/AP) — The police chief and assistant chief have been placed on administrative leave after a fatal shooting Wednesday outside the police department in this town of 2,900 in Jackson County, Indiana State Police said Thursday. 

Both Chief Hanner and Assistant Chief Kelly were placed on administrative leave per department protocol. The shooting occurred after a 911 call about 8 a.m. Wednesday reported an altercation involving a man and woman outside the police department. 

Police said Wednesday that 53-year-old Barry Rucker was fatally shot after he produced a handgun while resisting arrest during a domestic dispute. Rucker died shortly after the shooting in a Seymour hospital. 

Online court records show Rucker was facing charges of domestic battery and intimidation with a deadly weapon. Those charges were filed in November, and a pretrial conference had been set for the morning before the shooting. 

Sgt. Stephen Wheeles of the state police said Wednesday that Hanner and Kelly believed Rucker needed to be taken into custody. When the officers tried to arrest him, Rucker pulled out the gun, and the officers opened fire.

Wheeles said he did not know how many times Rucker was struck. 

Brownstown is about 70 miles south of Indianapolis.