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Police standoff began as burglary report, ends in shooting

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Anthony Statzer was still in the hospital Tuesday after being shot by police during a Monday night standoff on the city’s northwest side.

Police on Tuesday night released this timeline of the hourslong standoff, which unfolded at a driving school at a business park near West 71st Street and Zionsville Road:

  • 5:07 p.m.- Northwest District Officers are dispatched to an in-progress business burglary, 7144 Lakeview Parkway W Drive. Dispatch advises responding officers that the suspect is a white male wearing a brown sweater and carrying a bag, who broke the window of the business with a piece of concrete and attempted to enter an occupied vehicle.
  • 5:09 p.m. – Officer advises on the radio of that he can see a male matching the description leaving the business on foot and walking toward Pike High School.
  • Additional Units begin to back on to the call and respond.
  • Officer advises on the radio that the male is crossing the intersection of W. 71st Street and Zionsville Road. Officer also advises that the male is attempting to open vehicle and business doors.
  • Officer observed the male enter 7120 Zionsville Road, Coach’s Drivers Education and advised that there may be a hostage situation with the students inside the business.
  • Male has an encounter with the female employee upon entry. Employee notified the instructor and four students that there is an intruder in the building and all six exit the through the rear door.
  • Employee of the business advises arriving officers that there is no one else inside the business.
  • Officer advises on the radio that witnesses state they could not see a weapon but the male implied he had one in his bag.
  • Responding officers secure a perimeter around the building and call for Crisis Negotiators and the Special Weapons and Tactics Team (S.W.A.T. team).
  • Officers on the perimeter advise control that the male walked to the door with his hands concealed in his sweatshirt.
  • K9 officers arrived and beginning making announcements over the in-vehicle PA system for the male to exit the business.
  • S.W.A.T. officers arrive on scene.
  • On-scene supervisor establishes Zionsville Incident Command.
  • Crisis negotiators and S.W.A.T. operators attempted to persuade the male to put down weapon and exit the business.
  • The male fired a shot into the ceiling and pointed the firearm at S.W.A.T. officers while walking around the business screaming.
  • For approximately 5 hours officers attempted to negotiate a safe surrender with the male.
  • The male then moved closer to the front window, jumped and pointed a firearm at S.W.A.T. officers.
  • Officers fired their weapons at the male, striking and effectively disarming him.
  • Officers entered the business and the on-scene S.W.A.T. medic began administering immediate medical aid.
  • IEMS medics arrived and transported the male to St. Vincent’s Hospital.
  • Notifications of OIS sent out to command staff.
  • MECA Communications Van, Police Officer Support Team (POST) and Indianapolis-Marion County Forensic Services Agency (Crime Lab) are requested to the scene, per standard operating procedure.
  • Detectives respond to the hospital and scene for investigation.
  • 1:32 a.m.- Incident command terminated.
  • Crime Scene released.

More than 60 officers went to the standoff, a police report showed.

Family members said they were last told Statzer was in critical but stable condition. Police on Tuesday said the man was in critical condition but was expected to survive.

Anthony Statzer. (Provided Photo/IMPD)

Witnesses who spoke with News 8 said they never saw Statzer have an actual gun. But a Tuesday police release said Statzer possessed a firearm when he was detained by officers Monday night.

Statzer faces charges of: Attempted burglary, Confinement, Intimidation, Criminal Recklessness, Pointing a Firearm and Serious Violent Felon in Possession of a Firearm.

IMPD said it will conduct parallel criminal and internal affairs investigation.

Statzer’s daughter, Destany, told News 8 that Statzer struggles with mental health issues.

“The situation in the back of my mind was this is either going to end up with him shooting himself, or the police shooting him. Not a lot of people understand unless they have been through it or unless they have loved someone with a mental illness. It is really hard not just for the families but for that person themselves,” Statzer said late Monday.

She said he could not legally have a gun but that he did carry a BB gun, which she says is what he was waving at officers during the incident.

“He does absolutely carry a BB gun on him at just about all times of the day because he cannot carry a real gun. I understand that it was tough for them especially having something waved at them,” Statzer said Monday.

Destany told News 8 that before the standoff happened her father was at the hospital and that he had to take the bus home. She says that something happened during that bus ride that upset him.

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