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According to police, a state trooper was shot during a traffic stop. Organizational leaders are confused about the circumstances. Here’s what we know.
What Happened
As reported by CBS News, just after midnight today, May 28, the Indiana State Police began a a traffic stop of a gray Hyundai Elantra driven by a man on I-80/94 in Hammond, Indiana. Other than himself, there was one female passenger present. At some point during the stop, the Indiana State Police called for assistance, and an officer held the car’s occupants at gunpoint until help came.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Department and Hammond Police Department responded to the request. However, it is unclear what initiated the stop. What is clear is that the stop didn’t go well.
According to the ISP, the driver allegedly took out a gun. Then, “an exchange of gunfire took place” took place between four officers and the driver. CBS News did not specify who fired first or if the driver aimed a weapon at the officers first. Two people were shot.
Reports say the suspect was shot dead on the scene, while the passenger was uninjured. The man was later identified as Aaron Barnes, 34, of Gary by the Lake County Coroner’s Office. An officer was shot in the chest but had on a protective vest. The troopers was transported to the University of Chicago Hospital and released after surgery. Reports note that this officer works with the K9 Unit.
The 34-year-old female passenger was taken into custody but later released due to “new information,” according to state police. When pressed, police sergeant Glen Fifield wouldn’t give a specific reason. Instead, he focused on the many reasons a driver could be stopped which includes minor infractions. Community organization leaders are concerned.
Alexandra Block, director of the Criminal Legal System and Policing Project at the ACLU of Illinois said, “What we found in our research is that most of the time, officers are not stopping drivers for dangerous behavior. Most of the time, they’re using some really minor violation, like a burned-out taillight or something like that as an excuse to stop drivers of color and fish for evidence of other crimes.”
The Takeaway
A suspect was shot dead on I-80/94 in Hammond, Indiana on May 28 just after midnight. The female passenger was arrested but released later. A state trooper wearing a vest was shot in the chest but is out of surgery. The community is concerned and asking questions. They’re asking for transparency as the investigation into this shooting continues.
Jermaine Reed, MFA is an educator and the Editor-in-Chief of TheReedersBlock. Take time to Subscribe. It helps promote independent journalism and the site. Follow him on TikTok, where he has over 9 million views and nearly 1 million likes. Help him get there. Email editor@thereedersblock.com with any questions.