Apparent Shooting in Downtown Bloomington Today

[dblagent]

Well I'll be, I had to stop for the rescue trucks as I was right near the hospital at about exactly 1:25 this afternoon. I heard sirens and saw one responding police car running down college, then I turned down second street and had to stop for the rescue trucks. Not often I find out where they were going though!

Be safe ingoers, and police, and heck, I even hope the kid gets whatever worked out after this. I can hope anyway until we know more.

 

[tyler34]

Why would you go to the Trojan Horse for burgers? That's the place for gyros.

well you just answered your own question you've obviously never had them, if it were possible to marry them I would divorce my wife, on the other hand I think she would do the same.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

And the outcry of folks wondering "why, oh why did they have to shoot this kid!? He didn't hurt nobody. He's only sizteen!!!"

Uh....they shot him because he was coming at a police officer with a knife. And being 16 doesn't make him any less capable of killing someone with said knife.

-J-

 

[tyler34]

apparently I'm out of the loop whats the official story?

 

[m_deaner]

apparently I'm out of the loop whats the official story?

Pasted from the Herald Times:

Bloomington police detectives are investigating the shooting of a teenager by a police officer in downtown Bloomington Wednesday afternoon.
About 1:20 p.m., police responded to reports of a man wielding a knife and threatening people, according to Capt. Joe Qualters. When officers arrived, the 16-year-old male was found on Washington Street next to the Bloomington Transit downtown passenger transfer terminal.
The first officer approached the facility from the west and saw the boy. The officer, whose name was not released, ordered the teen to remove his hands from his jacket pockets. Qualters said the teen revealed he had a knife.



The officer continued to tell the teen to drop the knife, but he did not. The police officer fired two rounds when the teen ran toward him wielding the knife, Qualters said.



Bloomington resident Ken Hawkins said he was in the area when he heard what he believed were two gunshots.
“I’d just dropped off my mail at the post office when I heard ‘pow, pow,’” he said. “I knew they were gunshots ... and then I saw the officers swarm.”


Witnesses were taken to the nearby Bloomington Police Department, where they and the officer involved were interviewed into the evening. Police officials released their initial findings shortly before 11 p.m.
According to Qualters, witnesses heard the commands the officer gave to the teen. Police said witnesses also saw the teen run towards the officer with the knife.


After the shooting, the victim was wheeled by gurney, shirtless, into an ambulance and was taken for treatment at Bloomington Hospital. At 8 p.m., hospital spokeswoman Amanda Roach said the hospital could not comment on the victim’s condition because he is a minor.
Police said the teen suffered wounds to the upper torso. At Bloomington Hospital, the suspect, who police did not identify, underwent surgery. Police do not believe his injuries are life-threatening.


Qualters said the officer involved in the shooting is a 33-year veteran. He’s been placed on administrative leave per department policy pending an internal investigation. Police will not release the officer’s name until the report is completed.


The shooting temporarily closed the intersection of Fourth and Washington streets. Bus service was also disrupted for a short time.


While detectives and evidence technicians examined the scene, several city officials arrived, including Mayor Mark Kruzan, Corporation Counsel Kevin Robling and Safe and Civil City Director Beverly Calender-Anderson. While there, the mayor would not comment on the circumstances of the shooting, but said that he was there because the incident “unfortunately resulted in something that’s going to impact a lot of lives. We want to be on top of everything that’s happening.”


In a statement Wednesday evening, Kruzan said, “Based on the original 911 call, eyewitness accounts and officer statements, Bloomington police responded professionally to protect citizens in the area as well as their own safety under threat of an armed assailant. Following the shooting, law enforcement acted swiftly to secure the site and begin a thorough internal investigation. A report on the incident will reviewed by the citizen members of the Board of Public Safety and shared with the general public.”

Recent police shootings
Bloomington police were involved in the shooting of a man in late December. On Dec. 19, a Bloomington man who was threatening to kill himself was shot in the leg by a member of the Critical Incident Response Team after a four-hour standoff. During the standoff, the man pointed his shotgun toward police as they approached him. One officer fired in response and struck the man in the leg. Police said the man then tried to put the shotgun barrel in his mouth, but police were able to tackle him and take him into custody. No officers were injured.



Police have not released the name of the CIRT officer involved in that shooting. Chief Mike Diekhoff said their investigation is complete. The completed report will be reviewed by the Bloomington Board of Public Safety later this month.



Prior to the December incident, the Sept. 12, 1983, shooting of Denver Smith was the last one involving a Bloomington officer.
Reporters Mercedes Rodriguez, Bethany Nolan, and Brady Gillihan contributed to this report.

 

[JByer323]

Remember last year when the old lady blasted her husband with the .44 mag who was sitting in his chair? My roommate was precepting with BHAS at that time, and said (tongue in cheek, obviously) that the BPD guys looked like kids on Christmas, since they actually had something to do.

With all these incidents of late, do you think it's going to have any effect whatsoever on the general Bloomington population?

 

[NateIU10]

With all these incidents of late, do you think it's going to have any effect whatsoever on the general Bloomington population?

Hopefully, but I'm not gonna hold my breath. They'll continue to expect the police to always be there, and nothing bad will happen

 

[coltaceguy]

Of course it will have an effect on the Bloomington population.

There will be some ******** uproar over "police violence" here in Bloomington, just wait for it...

Probably have a benefit dinner for the kid that was shot, make him the new local hero against police brutality.

 

[NateIU10]

Of course it will have an effect on the Bloomington population.

There will be some ******** uproar over "police violence" here in Bloomington, just wait for it...

Probably have a benefit dinner for the kid that was shot, make him the new local hero against police brutality.

Boy, that'd **** me off

 

[coltaceguy]

Boy, that'd **** me off

Just wait for it...it will happen
1 shooting in december, now another a month later. Someone will be calling for resignation of cops for simply doing their jobs.

 

[JByer323]

If this is a trend that's gonna start, does that mean IUPD is finally going to get to use those Chargers in a high speed pursuit through campus.

 

[NateIU10]

Hell, I think the cop let the guy get too damn close before he shot him! 3-5 feet after refusing verbal commands???

 

[JByer323]

Hell, I think the cop let the guy get too damn close before he shot him! 3-5 feet after refusing verbal commands???

Wow, didn't catch that. Scary.

 

[NateIU10]

Wow, didn't catch that. Scary.

Scary as crap man!

When the officer realized the suspect had a knife, he ordered the teen to drop the weapon. Qualters said that during the brief confrontation, the teenager said nothing as the officer continued to tell the suspect to drop the knife. Police said the two were initially about 15 feet apart. That gap was closed to about three to five feet when the shots were fired, Qualters said.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

I'm betting that the cop had alreay drawn and pointed his weapon...

Because to draw and fire in the time it takes a 16 year old to cover 10 feet is MINISCULE. Miniscule to the point that most everyone, save "quick draw" folks, couldn't do it.

Draw down...command...shoot if necessary to save your (or someone elses) hide.

-J-

 

[mospeada]

Just wait for it...it will happen
1 shooting in december, now another a month later. Someone will be calling for resignation of cops for simply doing their jobs.

I think you're wrong, there won't be a major uproar until a minority or foreign national is shot by a cop. Then you'll see it. Caucasian males don't bring out the crazys.

 

[seamus]

Lots of crazy homeless people hang around 4th and Washington, and some even take up residence in the post office. I bet one of those folks went off the deep end.

When I went to school there last back in the 80's they all lived in the tent city in Dunn Meadow. I think it was ostensibly there to protest apartheid but provided shelter for the "usual" crowd of fringe dwellers.
Did they ever locate a suspect from the stabbing by the football stadium?

 

[NateIU10]

Did they ever locate a suspect from the stabbing by the football stadium?

Nope.

I just read an article that says the kid with the knife, was the one who called the cops

Police: 16-year-old involved in shooting called 911 himself

 

[jblomenberg16]

I don't know the kid, so don't want to jump to any conclusions here, but it almost sounds like it could have been an attempted suicide by cop.

 

[NateIU10]

That's kinda what I was thinking too. Call the cops yourself, pull knife and go towards cop. Pretty obvious he wanted to die. Suicide by cop...assholes don't realize or care that the cop's gotta live with that man.