IMPD: Friendly Fire Wounds Officer in Fatal East-Side Shooting
INDIANAPOLIS — What investigators first believed about last week’s fatal police shooting on Indianapolis’ east side has changed.
FOX59 reports Indianapolis police now say one of the two officers wounded during the gunfire was struck by another officer’s bullet, not by the 21-year-old man who was killed.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said Thursday that a review of the evidence shows one officer was hit by a bullet fired by Dalys Jett, while the second officer was accidentally shot by another officer during the exchange.
The shooting happened around 10:30 p.m. July 22 in the 8000 block of East 37th Street. Officers were called after a 911 caller reported a disturbance involving an armed man.
Police said officers encountered Jett, and gunfire erupted a short time later. Two officers were wounded and taken to a hospital. One was driven by another officer, while the other was transported by ambulance.
Police said at least three officers returned fire, striking Jett. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition, where he later died.
Investigators recovered a firearm at the scene that they believe Jett had during the encounter.
IMPD said detectives are continuing to investigate exactly what happened.
Jett’s family has been asking for more details about the shooting and requested to review body camera footage from all of the officers involved.
On Thursday, the family said IMPD postponed a scheduled meeting to view the unredacted videos. In a statement, the family said the department told them an officer involved in the shooting would first be allowed to review the footage before giving a statement. The family also said the department’s revised account of the shooting leaves them with more questions than answers.
IMPD confirmed the delay Thursday and said it plans to provide the footage to the family as required under Indiana law. The department said the viewing was postponed to protect the integrity of the investigation and out of respect for everyone involved, including the officer still hospitalized and Jett’s family.
The body camera footage has not been released publicly.
IMPD’s Critical Incident Response Team is leading the criminal investigation. The department’s Internal Affairs Unit will also review the officers’ actions, and a civilian-majority use-of-force review board is expected to examine the case after the criminal investigation concludes.
