Chicago man shot by Indiana state trooper after Lake County police chase
GARY, Ind. (WISH) — An 18-year-old Chicago man was shot by an Indiana state trooper Monday after he pulled out a gun during a police chase, say Indiana State Police.
Rashawn Thompson lost control of a stolen Chevrolet Malibu on Cline Avenue near I-80 in Gary and got out of the car with a gun in his hand, according to ISP. A state trooper fired at Thompson, who then jumped off of Cline Avenue, which is a 30-foot bridge embankment. He was taken by helicopter to a Chicago hospital.
Indiana State Police says the incident started at around 3 p.m. when police in Porter learned that a man, later identified as Thompson, carjacked a woman at a gas station and drove off in her Chevy Malibu.
The sedan Thompson abandoned for the Malibu was wanted in connection to a theft in Homewood, Illinois, about eight miles west of the state line, ISP says.
While looking for the stolen Chevy, police learned of a shooting on I-80 involving Thompson and 21-year-old Tyzerrick Smith, of Chicago, who was driving a Chevrolet Impala.
Lake County Sheriff’s deputies spotted the two cars on Cline Avenue near 45th Street in Griffith and tried to pull them over, but the drivers refused to stop.
State troopers joined the chase and, minutes later, Smith drove over a curb and wrecked the Impala. He was arrested and taken to the Lake County Jail.
Sheriff’s deputies and state troopers continued to pursue Thompson, following the stolen Chevrolet onto I-80 and then back onto Cline Avenue.
A short time later, the Malibu collided with a state trooper’s vehicle, causing Thompson to lose control of the car and crash into a concrete barrier.
Thompson got out of the car with a gun on display, prompting a state trooper from the ISP Lowell Post to fire his weapon, according to state police. Thompson then jumped down the embankment. He received medical treatment at the scene before being taken to the hospital.
As of late Monday night, his condition was unknown.
Detectives from the ISP Lafayette Post are investigating the shooting that wounded Thompson, while detectives from the ISP post in Lowell are looking into the shooting on I-80 that involved Thompson and Smith.
Once the investigations are complete, they will be turned over to the Lake County prosecutor.