19-year-old Muncie man dies in Randolph County police shooting
NEW PITTSBURG, Ind. (WISH) — A 19-year-old Muncie man fired a handgun at Randolph County deputies Tuesday afternoon, and they returned fire and fatally shot him, the Indiana State Police said Tuesday night.
Brayden Daniel Barnhouse encountered two deputies on Main Street in the unincorporated community of New Pittsburg, where state police say he produced a handgun and fired at them. That happened at 5:17 p.m. Tuesday at an intersection in the rural community with about a dozen homes that’s about a 10-mile drive northwest of Union City. The community sits just south of the border of Randolph and Jay counties in east central Indiana.
Randolph County Sheriff’s Department was first called to a reported overdose shortly before 5 p.m. Tuesday at a home on East Elm Street in New Pittsburg. Deputies arrived to learn from Barnhouse’s family that he had left the home, and deputies began to search for him, state police said in a news release.
“Within a minute later of making contact with the suspect, he reportedly produced a Glock 17 9mm handgun and fired a round at the deputies. The two deputies responded by firing their sidearms and hitting the suspect at least once. Medical aid was immediately provided to the suspect, however, he was pronounced dead by Randolph County Coroner Darin James,” the news release said.
State police shared a photo of the gun in the news release.
The deputies were identified as Sgt. Jeffrey Miller, who has been with the department 12 years, and Deputy Kevin Kouns, who has been the department for two years. One deputy sustained a superficial wound, and was treated at the scene.
Per standard department policy, both deputies were to be placed on administrative leave until the investigation is completed and the Randolph County prosecutor can review the state police’s investigative report.
New Pittsburg is about a 1-hour, 45-minute drive northeast of downtown Indianapolis.