Knife-wielding man shot and killed by Fort Wayne police officer

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – For the second time in two days a Fort Wayne police officer has been involved in a shooting.

Police were called to the Hallmark Inn, 3738 East Washington Boulevard, for a person reportedly armed with a weapon.

Officers found a man in the parking lot behind the motel with a knife.

FWPD Spokesman Officer Jeremy Webb said officers gave repeated commands for the man to drop the knife. Webb said at some point the man began to approach officers and one police officer fired their weapon. The man fell to the ground and was still holding the knife. Officers continued to order the man to get rid of the weapon, but he again refused, according to Webb. Several officers then approached the man and kicked the knife away. Webb said officers began providing first aid until medics arrived.

However, paramedics pronounced the man dead.

Police were called to the motel after an employee called and said a man with a weapon was threatening to hurt people outside. Webb did not have information about who the man was threatening but said no one else was hurt.

The initial 911 caller said the man might have been intoxicate, but police have not confirmed that information.

Any officer involved in the shooting will be placed on a five day administrative leave, per department policy. The Indiana State Police were called to run a parallel investigation.

The incident is under investigation.

Saturday’s officer-involved shooting comes approximately 40 hours after member’s of the FWPD Emergency Services Team shot and killed a man who was threatening the life of a child. That incident remains under investigation.

The officer-involved shooting is the third in 2016 for an FWPD officer. The first happened on East Rudisill Boulevard Mar. 20. An FWPD officer and ISP trooper shot a 62-year-old man who fired a shot at police near the AutoZone. The officers were exonerated of any wrong-doing in that case.