Prosecutor: Deputy cleared after shootout injuring 1 in downtown Anderson
ANDERSON, Ind. (WISH) — A Madison County sheriff’s deputy was justified in a shootout in which a 20-year-old was injured in July in downtown Anderson, the prosecutor said Tuesday.
Prosecutor Rodney J. Cummings issued the ruling in connection to what he called a drive-by shooting just after midnight July 13 near the gas pumps of the Jackson Mart gas station near the intersection of Fifth and Jackson streets. That’s in downtown Anderson.
The early Friday shooting began when someone in an unknown vehicle eastbound on Fifth opened fire on three people, and one of them fired at the vehicle. The ruling did not provided any names of people involved in the shootout.
Southbound on Jackson Street, Deputy Robert Lemon head the gunshots while stopped at a nearby red light, the ruling says. He found two people at two vehicles at the Jackson Mart, and one of the people was armed with a handgun.
The ruling says, “Deputy Lemon took cover behind his vehicle and began issuing loud, verbal commands to the individuals. When one of the individuals failed to follow his verbal commands and continued moving behind a vehicle, Deputy Lemon fired five (5) shots, advised dispatch that shots were fired, and resumed giving loud, verbal commands. Shortly thereafter, additional officers arrived on scene and the three (3) individuals were detained and questioned regarding the incident. One (1) of the three (3) individuals had received a gunshot wound to the lower left leg and was treated at a nearby hospital and released.”
The prosecutor noted that the bullet entered and exited the injured person’s leg, so it was uncertain whether the gunfire came from the deputy’s firearm. “However, given the location of the injury on the individual’s leg and the necessary trajectory of the projectile to cause such an injury, it is likely the injury was inflicted by an individual in the unknown vehicle in the early moments of the shooting.”
Anyone with information about the shooting was asked to contact Detective Anthony Klettheimer of the Indiana State Police at 765-778-2121.
