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County prosecutor finds Muncie officers justified in fatal shooting

MUNCIE, Ind. (WISH) — The Delaware County prosecutor has found the officers involved in a fatal police shooting of a Kansas man in March were justified in their actions.

Police shot Jonathan Levi Allen, 28, of Wichita, Kansas, in Delaware County on March 3. He died days later at a hospital.

According to Prosecutor Eric Hoffman, the officers’ actions were “objectively reasonable” and “completely and legally justified.”

Hoffman also released a full report outlining the factual evidence in the case. The report includes a timeline of events, evidence, photographs, and witness and law enforcement statements.

Police were initially called on March 3 around 1 p.m. to the area of Yale and Bellaire Streets in Muncie on reports of shots fired. When they arrived, they encountered Allen in a red Chevrolet Blazer with a female passenger.

Allen admitted to officers he had a gun inside the vehicle before leading them on a pursuit. During the pursuit he drove recklessly in the presence of school buses and oncoming traffic, according to the report.

Police ended the pursuit briefly before finding the Blazer stuck in a field near Smithfield Pike and County Road 400 East. Officers were able to make contact with Allen and heard him threaten to kill the female passenger. Allen was able to drive out of the field and another pursuit ensued.

A short time later, officers say Allen drove erratically into oncoming traffic and fired shots at two law enforcement officers before then firing shots at two civilians who were walking along a sidewalk. One officer returned fire at Allen, missing him.

Allen continued to fire more shots at law enforcement officers during the pursuit until one officer fired a shot at Allen, striking him near the 800 block of West Centennial.

Allen was then taken into custody and transported to IU Ball Memorial Hospital where he later died from his injuries on March 10.

This story was corrected to show Eric Hoffman is the county prosecutor.

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