State police investigating police shooting in South Bend

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WISH) — Indiana State Police were investigating Friday after an officer with the Indiana State Excise Police exchanged gunfire with a suspect Thursday night in South Bend.

The excise officer had been in the area, working a special detail around local convenience stores, when he began to follow a silver vehicle northeast on Rockne Drive at around 9:30 p.m., state police said in a statement.

The driver of the suspect vehicle stopped in the street near the intersection of Rockne Drive and North Jacob Street, got out of the vehicle, and fired multiple shots at the excise officer’s vehicle.

The officer returned fire as the suspect ran back to his vehicle, according to state police. The suspect got back inside his vehicle and sped away.

The officer did not chase the suspect vehicle, which was described by police as a Honda Civic from the late ’90s or early 2000s.

It’s unknown whether the suspect was hit during the exchange of gunfire, state police say.

The excise officer was not injured in the shooting.

The suspect should be considered armed and dangerous, according to state police.

Anyone with information was asked to contact the Indiana State Police Bremen Post at 574-546-4900.

At the conclusion of the state police investigation, all information will be turned over to the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office for review.