Carmel PD: Police fatally shot man who fired shots at patrol car, pointed gun at officers
CARMEL, Ind. (WISH) — A man died Sunday after Carmel police say he fired shots from his home and pointed a “high-powered rifle” at officers, who then shot him.
Officers with the Carmel Police Department responded around 11:25 a.m. to the 400 block of West Main Street on a call of a potentially suicidal person. On the way to the call, officers were told by witnesses in the area that shots were being fired from inside the house into the neighborhood, Lt. Tim Byrne with Carmel Police Department said at the scene.
Officers arrived and also observed shots being fired, set up a perimeter outside the house and began evacuating people living nearby.
Carmel police SWAT officers also responded to the scene, and they were attempting to make contact with the person. During that time, 60-year-old Keith Scales, of Carmel, stepped out of the house with what police believed was a “high-powered rifle” and talked to officers. Then, he raised the rifle toward officers, and officers “engaged the threat,” Byrne said.
Scales was struck and was taken to Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, where he died. Byrne did not say how many times Scales was shot.
Police believe Scales was the only person inside the home.
Scales had fired numerous shots from inside the home, shooting multiple vehicles, including a police car, Byrne said. Those shots are all believed to have been fired before Scales came outside, Byrne said.
All Carmel officers by policy wear body cameras, but Byrne said he did not know whether officers at the scene had activated those cameras. He also police were working to learn if there was video from dashboard cameras or nearby porch security cameras.
Any officer who may have fired shots in the incident will be placed on administrative leave as the investigation in conducted, Byrne said, but did not know how many officers that would be. Fishers Police Department will be handling the investigation “in order to ensure impartiality.”
Byrne said they believed there was no longer a threat to the public.
Anyone with information or video that could help the investigation is asked to call 317-571-2580 and ask to speak to an officer.
Full news release from Carmel police:
On Sunday, January 31, 2020, at approximately 11:25 a.m., Carmel Police Department officers responded to a residence in the 400 block of West Main St. regarding a subject threatening suicide. While officers were responding, information was provided that gunshots were being fired. Upon arrival to the area, officers could see and hear gunshots being fired from out of the windows and doors of the residence. Officers secured the area and began evacuating residents in the immediate area. During the incident, the suspect shot multiple vehicles, including one police vehicle. He then raised a high-powered rifle toward officers and officers discharged their weapons. The suspect was struck and was transported from the scene to the hospital for medical attention but did not survive his injuries.
The suspect has been identified as 60-year-old Keith Scales of Carmel, IN. Fishers Police Investigators will be handling the investigation into the officer involved shooting in order to ensure impartiality. They are in the preliminary stages of conducting a professional and thorough investigation regarding the circumstances of this incident. This is an ongoing investigation and no additional information is available to release at this time.
We ask that anyone with information or evidence, such as video surveillance recordings, that can help with the investigation of this incident please call our non-emergency dispatch telephone number of 317-571-2580 and ask to speak with an officer.
The Carmel Police Department would like to thank neighboring law enforcement agencies that assisted with our response to this incident and the Carmel Fire Department for their swift and efficient response.
