Two men from Louisville were shot Wednesday night on the Salem Bypass and one has died as a result of gunshot wounds. Those involved are not believed to still be in the area and police do not think the general public’s safety is at risk.
No motive has been given for the shooting and it is unclear whether the victims knew each other.
At approximately 9:26 pm Wednesday evening, a 911 call came into the Washington County 911 center of two men injured on the side of the road on the Salem Bypass just west of State Road 60.
Police and Washington County EMS were dispatched to the scene.
Officers from the Salem City Police along with deputies from the Washington County Sheriff’s Department responded to the location. When police arrived they discovered two black male subjects on the side of the roadway that had been shot.
There was no vehicle at the scene.
According to SPD Officer Russell Wilcoxson, one of the victims had been shot nine times in the torso and the leg. The other man had been shot in the back of the head.
“They stated they were from Louisville and they were lost and didn’t know where they were at,” said Wilcoxson. “They wouldn’t tell us names or a description of the vehicle they were in.”
It is not known if both men were shot with the same gun or with different caliber handguns.
Wilcoxson did say the other two men in the vehicle were also reportedly from Louisville.
Wilcoxson said “the victims stated that they came up here and the two guys driving the car kicked them out…once they kicked them out, and they were on the side of the road, they started shooting them and then took off.”
The victim with multiple gunshots was taken to St. Vincent Salem Hospital. He passed away in the Emergency Room.
The other subject was transported to the University of Louisville Hospital in Louisville, KY by air ambulance with life threatening injuries.
Indiana State Police Crime Scene Investigators along with Indiana State Police Detectives processed the crime scene and know that at least one shooter left the crime scene.
The western portion of the bypass between State Road 60 and State Road 135 was closed to traffic for approx. two hours.
There are no suspects.
“We have officers searching the area right now,” said Wilcoxson. “We’re checking local businesses and stores to obtain camera footage so we can obtain a vehicle description.”
Detectives are asking if anyone was on the Salem Bypass between State Road 60 and State Road 135 from 9:15 pm to 9:30 pm Wednesday evening and saw any vehicles or people stopped along the roadside, to contact the Indiana State Police Post at 1-800-872-6743 or 812-246-5424. Callers can remain anonymous.
No further information will be released until an autopsy is performed on the deceased at the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office in Louisville, KY.
The name of the victim transported by air ambulance to the University of Louisville Hospital is not being released due to lack of a positive identification.
